


Just like fire

by Caramelo98



Category: Station 19 (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:22:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 21,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23740762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caramelo98/pseuds/Caramelo98
Summary: So, this is my first fanfictions, however I usually make YouTube video edits about Station 19.My favorite character is Andy, and I honestly think this fandom need desperately more fanfiction, so I act on it.Anyway, let’s hope I am better at writing the story, than I am writing the intro.Hope you like it, please give me advice in the comments, I will follow it, and make sure we have a good story to go through the next 2 weeks.Thank you so much in advance.P.s. I forgot to say, but this is what I hope episode 3x14 will be like, and what I want the storyline to go from there.
Relationships: Andy Herrera & Robert Sullivan, Andy Herrera/Robert Sullivan, Andy Herrera/Ryan Tanner, Maya Bishop/Carina DeLuca, Maya Bishop/Jack Gibson, Victoria Hughes/Lucas Ripley
Comments: 41
Kudos: 86





	1. The retourn

It was cold, a dark day like most of them are in Seattle. Andy’s mood combined with it, of course she was feeling better, she was going back to work.  
Robert was right next to her, in the car, at this point it didn’t make sense for them to go in separate cars, right? After all, he stayed with her for two weeks, where would they think he was? She looked at him, hoping he would give her some kind of encouragement.

“Hey, if you want to, you we can stay home for a few more days. But if you really want to work, and be with your people, you can do it. I know you will amaze me today; you always do. And if you don’t, just come to my office, and I’ll help with whatever you need or want.” Robert said, holding her hand, and kissing it, like he always does. 

“I need to be at work!” she said, grabbing her thing from the backseat.

They left the car and parted ways almost immediately, he went to his office, while she headed towards the lockers, to get changed. It felt so weird, the whole station was completely silent, no one to be seen, and she knew why. They knew she was back, and they were worried about her, and about her reaction. And the fact is that she didn’t see one single person until she walked in the beanery. 

Everyone stop when she walked in, but she still loved what she saw. The tabled was full of food, there was bread, cereal, jelly, fruit, eggs, bacon… all kinds of breakfast. And her people was there, every single member of the family she had left was sitting at that tabled, except for her husband. She wanted him there.

While she could physically see them thinking about what to say, it was Vic the first one to move towards her, hugging her. 

“Herrera, nice to have you back… herrr, if you need anything…” – see said while they were going back to the table.

“I’m fine, really. You don’t need to protect me, or talk to me like I’m made of glass. I don’t like that and it makes me depressed.”

“Copy That” “Right, sorry” “You’re right” were some of the answers she got back. 

“We made you breakfast though, not cause you are made of glass, but because you lost weight, you know that’s bad for the work we do here, don’t you?” – Maya said next to her. 

“Yeah captain, in that case, lets eat! Did you invite Sullivan?” – Andy looked around, she really wanted him there with her. And then it downed on her, did her friends still clueless about her marriage, or her relationship at all? She read all of their expressions, none of them seemed to be aware of anything, except Maya. Maya smiled at her, not normally, that was her best friends smile that said ‘we need to talk about that’. 

“He said he needed to end a couple reports, you know… he also stayed at home during the past weeks, he inhaled a lot of smoke in that fire…” Nothing in Travis voice sounded like suspicion, it looked more like he was just Informing her.

Andy played as cool as she could.

“Really? Is he alright?”

“I am lieutenant, thank you for asking” He said walking in the beanery, taking his seat at the top of the tabled, next to Andy. She then realized that he made sure no one knew about them. And somehow, she was glad. Their wedding was a good thing, she wanted it to be celebrated without guilt, she wanted to be the one telling them, wanted to hug them, to go for a couple of beers with them. This just wasn’t the time. 

The day went by smoothly, just a few calls, nothing too serious. At the end of the afternoon, she was in the garage, polishing the firetruck, it calmed her. She remembered doing it with her dad and uncles when she was a kid, or even with Ryan. It was something that made her fell protected. She got so emerged in her own thoughts, that it scared her when she her someone behind her. 

“How are you?” – Jack had a bucket and was now helping her.

“Jack, we talked about it, don’t do that. I said I’m fine”

“Hey, I get to be worried about you, ok? You haven’t even been sleeping at home, it’s like you are actively trying to push me away!”

“Not everything is about you. This isn’t about you”

“No, this is about you. Andy, I’m worried about you. You went trough a traumatic event and you haven’t been home. Or at Mayas, I asked her.”  
He stopped for a few seconds, as if he was trying not to say something he would regret.

“I just want to know that you are fine, that whoever is the person that is helping you right now… that he is making a good job, that he is helping you, putting you first.”

She stayed silent for a few minutes, and so did he. They both kept doing their job, until she stopped, he was her friend, and her ex. She shouldn’t tell him in front of everyone. He earned the right to know first. 

“It’s Sullivan. I’m sleeping at Sullivan’s… because we got married”


	2. The reveals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a few revelations, there are the reactions, or not. Jack’s reaction isn’t what Andy was expecting, how will she be able to deal with it? Ben Warren makes a scene, do people realize what that was about? Will that be forgotten?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I read your comments and all I have to say is: Thank you! (I will, however, answer them individually haha)  
> Today a spent the day at work, but I just wanted to post, even if it was kinda small.  
> I would also like to say that I will start writing bigger chapters, but today I just couldn't anymore, it's already 12pm and I need to wake up at 6am :S  
> Also, sorry if my English is a little messed up, It's not my first language.
> 
> Enjoy the chapter, and thank you so muchhhh!

Before Jack had the chance to even speak, the alarm went of for them both. They raced to the aid car, walked in, not without Vic trying to change with Andy. God, how she hated to be looked at like that, to be treated like that!

The call was quite simple, no deaths, no civilians armed. Andy was happy it went like that, as stubborn or independents she was, she had to admit that a big call could go extremely wrong with her right now.

She needed baby steps.

On their way back to the station, the tension inside the aid car could be felt. Without the stress of a call, Andy could literally, see Jack thinking about what she told him before.

“Stop looking at me and say something, for God’s sake.”

“I’m sorry, but I just can’t understand…”

“What is that hard to understand?”

“Andy, you just told me that you married your battalion chief. And I never even considered the idea of the two of you… I mean, I knew you were friends, you cared for each other, but dating? Or married? I just keep thinking and it doesn’t make sense to me… Ryan just died, and…”

“Enough! Are you seriously mentioning Ryan right now? Are you kidding me?”

She felt so hurt, so mad. He was one of her best friends, and one thing was he being surprised, or freaking out. All that rambling made her laugh, but talking like she was doing something wrong, like she was cheating on Ryan? She couldn’t listen to that.

After a couple minutes, she finally calmed herself down.

“I know it seems to fast; it was fast. But… you have no idea how he is with me, how he makes me feel.”

She looked at her friend, and decided to continue

“He likes to dance with me, at home; he makes breakfast and dinner every day because I hate cooking; he cuddles me at the sofa watching bat reality tv, even though he hates that kind of show, or tv for that mather;”

She suddenly hesitated, which made Gipson look at her, that made her keep talking.

“After my father… after he died, I had a dream about Ryan, and I said his name. Robert was there with me, and instead of being mad he just hugged me, and since that day he always finds a way of showing me that Ryan is always in my life. He’s that kind of men, that kind of husband. And I love him so much, I love that he makes me so happy. So, can you support me? Can you deal with that happiness?”

At this point tears were trying to escape her eyes, and the effort to keep them from falling was painful.

“I’m sorry, if he does all day, if he makes you feel like that, then no one has the right to say something about you. I support you, Andy!”

That whole sentence, and the way he said it, made her heart beat faster. She needed her friends and their support. That’s when a huge smile crossed her face, a smile she never though she would give after she lost the most important people in her life.

“Thank you!”

And they talked the rest of the way to the station.  
Andy should’ve suspected when she walked in the garage and saw the team looking up, at Sullivan’s office. 

She parked the aid car, not without first asking Jack to not mention her relationship to anyone. As soon as she left the vehicle something sounded odd. Everyone was talking about something that was going on, they were… gossiping? 

“Hey, what’s new?” – of course Gipson wanted all the dirt. Andy rolled her eyes and ignored. She really couldn’t care less about what was going on. That was until she heard something.

“Warren and Sullivan are having a fight in his office, it looks bad!”

She then understood. They were looking at his office, cause the garage gave them a privileged view of what was happening at that office. She didn’t say a word, just cleaned the aid car, not that it was very dirty, and she went up the stair, unnoticed by her colleagues. 

Once she got closer to her destiny, she could hear the screams. Warren new, they weren’t being that specific, but she understood. Without any hesitation she knocked at the door and opened it almost immediately.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but you have and audience” – She said, nodding her head towards the window.

Sullivan got up to close them and grabbed a chair from the corner of the office to put next to his. Ben just stayed there, in the chair in from of him looking confused.

“Is everything ok?” 

“Yes… close the door behind you and sit here, please” – and that’s when it dawned on Warren. He suspected when he saw them at the restaurant, or when he saw his boss running into a burning building looking for her, but this was the moment when he was sure. They were a thing.  
Andy, on the other side, calmly did what her husband asked. And as soon as she sat next to him, she grabbed his hand. This was going to be a funny moment. And he needed her, for the first time in their relationship, this was about him, and his pain. 

__,,__

While that in the garage everyone was in shock. Their friend, who once hated Sullivan, just went to his office to say they were looking, and they didn’t know what to think of that.

“I mean, we have been her friends for years, and she not only ruined our fun, but she told us on Sullivan.” – somehow, Travis word weren’t mad, or annoyed, it was almost like he though it was funny. 

Because the truth was that they weren’t scared of their chief anymore. They had meals with him, and beers, for the past couple of months he really became one of them, and they loved that. 

“That just proves my theory!” – Vic was radiant all of a sudden, she looked like a kid on Christmas day.

“What theory?” – Maya, who new, kind of, the reason behind Andy’s behavior, was struggling between conspiring with her team or protecting her best friend and chief. She just forgot something; she was a terrible liar.

“Oh no... captain knows something! Spill it!” – Dean was a father; he was supposed to be a grown up right?”

“I… hum…well…”

“Oh my God! You do know something!”

“It’s not my place to tell it…”

“So, I was right! Andy and Sullivan are together, Travis you own me 10…”

“Are you seriously telling me that you made a bet out of my love life?” – that’s when they all jumped.


	3. If she drinks beer, she's a keeper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Surrera decides to show their team another page of their book.  
> The team goes out to drink beers after the shift and our 3 favorite firefighters end up having deep talks with beer at a familiar sofa.   
> Everything looks just perfect, can one simple meeting turn everything upside down?
> 
> Also, this chapter has some sexual references, as well as drunkenness and alcohol, nothing to graphic… but these characters are adults, and the show already had a few steamed scenes, so…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m starting to enjoy this way too much haha  
> Thank you all for the kudos and the comments, you have no idea how much they mean to me…   
> So, I’m considering making this a real and long fanfiction, do want that? Or you think that less is more and all that?  
> Waiting for your feedback and advice!  
> Enjoy the chapter, I will try to post a new one tomorrow.  
> Also, this chapter has some sexual references, as well as drunkenness and alcohol, nothing to graphic… but these characters are adults, and the show already had a few steamed scenes, so…

“Are you seriously telling me that you made a bet out of my love life?” – that’s when they all jumped. 

“Hum... Sir, sorry... I...” - Andy wanted to laugh, she had never seen Vic so embarrassed. But there she was, looking at her battalion chief and her lieutenant and friend, holding hands, next to the fire truck. 

There was no way around right now.   
They had this talk before, about telling their team about their relationship, and keep the marriage just for themselves for a while. They never counted that most of the team already knew or suspected at least. 

“Vic... he’s just messing with you” - Andy said in her soft tone, and then moved closer to her, sitting on the firetruck stairs. 

“So, you know?” 

“We all had our suspicions. You’re different around each other, more carefree. Which is great to all of us."

They kept talking, for almost an hour, it was just her team talking, and Andy never felt so happy, at least not in a long time. She had her family there with her, supporting her. And her husband kept looking at her, making her smile. Of course, that every time that happened someone would make a funny comment. 

The rest of the call passed fast, Andy and Jack got called for 2 small car accidents, a broken arm and what they thought could be an appendicitis. At the end of the shift Herrera felt like she had been run over by a truck, not that it had been a hard one, she had worst in her life. It was the emotions that made her tired, and the fact that she hadn’t been at work for two weeks. 

They all agreed that they needed a couple of beers at the end of the sift, even Sullivan said yes without thinking twice. And that’s what they were doing right now. While they were all at the pool table, Andy and Ben were sitting at a booth, drinking. 

“Thank you for understanding and waiting, really!” - Andy said honestly, she was so scared when she walked in that office. Warren knew what Robert did, he was ready to report it, but when he realized that she knew, and that she was helping Sullivan go through it, getting help, he changed his mind. 

“I thought he was in this alone. He’s always so closed, for everyone. I would have never imagined that he told someone.” - Andy just smiled at that, she was so glad he did. And she was glad that her friend was so committed to help her husband, during their talk at the office, Ben gave all kinds of advice to Sullivan, since good doctors, to a few exercises he could do at home. He even talked about some alternative medicine. 

“He isn’t. Closed, I mean. He talks a lot, at home... And he jokes and he is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met in my life. I know you don’t see that side of him, but it exists.”

“We see that side of him.” - She looked at him like he was an alien, and Warren felt the need to explain himself - “We see that side of him when he is with you, even his voice sounds different. It’s almost like you are he’s whole world, and he is scared to damage it. And you do the same with him, you might not notice, but you do.” 

Andy looked at her husband, from distance, and he looked at her, both smiling. It was incredible how just a smile from him made her world turn. 

“You better be prepared, you know? Cause, I think it’s only a matter of time before that man proposes to you.” - It must’ve been Andy’s reaction, or maybe the blush on her face, but Warren suddenly looked shocked - “Oh my God! He already did, didn’t he?” 

Andy needed a hole on the floor, and at the same time she just thanked her lucky stars that Ben was the only one sitting at the table. 

“We got married... Please don’t judge, we have been together for a long-time and...” 

“Andy, you don’t need to explain it to me. You are a grown woman, and if you are happy with each other, no one has the right to judge you” 

She thanked him and felt so happy about another one of her friends knowing. When the game ended, Warren decided to join the rest of the team, while Sullivan, Maya and Vic went to the tabled, Robert sitting next to his wife, while her friends sat across the table. They talked the whole night, never mentioning the wedding. Andy couldn’t help but want to tell them in a better way, not at a bar while drinking beers at the hospitals bar. 

She had her head in his shoulder, while he kept his arm around her shoulder. 

“Do you wanna go home?” - Maya and Vic admired the way he talked to her and kissed her head after. 

“I would like to spend the night at Mayas, if you don’t mind, of course. We have a lot to catch up” 

“Go, it’s good to you.” - He fixed the stripe of hair that was in her face - “Be with your friends. I have a meeting with Dixon at 6am anyway, if you want, I can leave you a change of clothes there before.” 

“That would be great” - He said his goodbyes. Andy honestly didn’t know if she should laugh or cry at her friend's reaction when he kissed her, or when they said they loved each other. 

The team stayed for one more hour after their boss left. Of course, Vic also went to Mayas house later.  
The three firefighters were at her sofa, eating old chips, as the tipsy woman they were. Not without some beers, of course.

“How is he in bed?” - Andy shocked with Mayas words, while Vic just cracked with laughter. 

“We are not having this talk” - Andy hided her face in a pillow. 

“Oh come on, I’m having a hard time understanding the logistics...”- This was Vis time to say something inappropriate. 

“I don’t know if I want to know what you mean” – Andrea said looking at her friend. 

“He is a really tall man, and you are a very short woman… how does that work?” – Maya couldn’t stop laughing at this point. And Andy regretted coming home with them. 

“Oh my God, this is awesome!” 

“Stop, I mean it. Leave my sex life to me, ok? It is great thought. If that’s what you are asking!” 

“Oh poor thing, you are legitimately embarrassed, ain’t you?” – Maya hugged Andy.

“Oh you are sorry for Andy, really? Thanks to her I think today I’m going to dream about my Battalion Chief naked.” – Vic said, laughing hard.

“Hey, be careful, you are talking about my husband”

And that was it, out of a sudden she told her friends, and the looks on their faces were everything. 

“Your what?” – Maya’s typical disbelief voice was the first sound in the room.

“My husband.”

The night went by. 

Andy told her sisters about how her relationship started, how it evolved, and she gushed about her wedding and her husband. She honestly didn’t had idea how much she needed to talk about it. 

Maya and Victoria couldn’t believe that Andy was talking about their chief. How was it possible that he was like that? All those stories about the dances they did, the kisses in their backyard when one of them couldn’t sleep, how he always cuddled her in bed. When Andy told them that he always left a note in their bedside table when he had to leave early, they just melted. Who would tell Robert Sullivan was a hopeless romantic?

The next morning was the proof of how caring he was, at 5:30 Andy’s phone rang, and not only he left her clothes, like promised; but Robert also left three water bottles, protein and vitamin smoothies and paracetamol for their hangover. 

“You are unreal” – Andy melted when she saw the bag her husband gave her. And, taking advantage of the fact that her best friends were pass out at the sofa, she kissed him.

“Did you have fun?” – he embraced her, kissing her head.

“Yeah, but right now all I wanted was to stay home, in bed, watching a crappy tv show and eating cereal with you.”

“I promise this meeting will be fast, I can stay in a room with Dixon for to long without wanting to punch him, so…” – that sentence made his wife laugh – “Stay here, enjoy your hangover with them, eat well, and at lunch time I’ll pick you up, so we can enjoy your free day doing nothing, ok?"

She just mumbled, hugging him tighter. Eventually Sullivan left for his meeting, leaving Andy at the door smiling like crazy.

“God, I thought he would never leave, I was trying so hard not to create an awkward moment.” – Andy walked towards the sofa and threw a pillow at Vic’s face.

“Here, not that you deserve” – she gave her the things Sullivan had brought.

“Dam Andrea, your men knows how to treat a lady!” 

“Yeah he does, boss” – She smiled at her best friend. 

They ate, threw up, drank water, and sat on the floor, leaning on the sofa, felling miserable. Without talking for almost an hour, they just stayed there, making promises to never drink again, and trying to feel human again. 

“Do you ever feel guilty?” – Andy said looking at Vic.

“About?”

“Felling happy, after Lucas…?”

“Do you feel guilty Andy? It’s that what you are trying to say?”

Andy took a big breath.

“Not usually, but when I’m really happy… it feels like I’m mistreating my dad, or Ryan… and… and I’m not, I think about them all the time, I just need to enjoy the good things I have left, and they both died to protect me, to save me… it feels like… it’s almost like I fell that if I’m happy I’m honoring them, and their deaths… but those other times, it’s like I shouldn’t be here and they should and…”

“Andy, you’re not making sense, your rambling…” – Maya said, while putting her hand on her best friend’s leg.

“You are making sense… I know what your point is. You’re right. When you’re happy, you are honoring them, and of course you will feel guilty sometimes, but you just have to rely on your friend and family to remember you that you deserve to be happy.”

“Thank you”

They just stayed there, siting next to one another, barely talking for a while, supporting each other silently.

“You deserve it too, you know that, right?”


	4. The Calm Before The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team enjoys a free day, lot’s of love promises, family moments and friendship.   
> That’s the big problem in life, we never know what might happen. What can ruin those moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the feedback I'm getting.   
> Honestly hope your liking reading this as much as I love writing it.   
> Sorry, couldn't post yesterday, but I had a hard day at work and just wanted to rest when I got home.   
> Enjoy the chapter, is one of my favourites, so far.

It was 3pm and Andy couldn’t be happier. She was at her home, with her husband cuddling in bed, they had spent the past 3 hours talking, and loving each other, and she loved that something as simple as that made her so happy.

“How did your meeting with Dixon go?” – she said while laying her head on Roberts chest. He just breathed, loud. – “That good, han?”

“That man makes me sick.”

Andy shifted, supporting her weight on her elbow, in order to have a better angle to look at him. “Wanna talk about it?” 

She saw the way he actually had a debate with himself.

“Hey, right now, I’m not your lieutenant, forget that I work in the department. I’m your wife, you can talk to me about work, right?”

“He wants to put someone watching Maya…”

“What? Why would he do that?” 

“Because of what happened with… in the storage unit.”

“Bobby, that’s ridiculous, it wasn’t her fault. Even I can see that.” 

“I’m trying to change his mind… He wants it to start next shift. But tomorrow we have another meeting.”

“So tomorrow I’m gonna be all alone?”

“You can go out with your friends. You should go out with your friends.” – He said, giving her a small kiss. 

“Yeah, there are a few things I can’t do with my friends…” And they kissed. Robert took the opportunity to roll them over, making his wife laugh. 

The rest of the day went in the exact same way. They stayed together, in bed, just being themselves. At night, they decided to go out, who said married couples couldn’t go on dates? Roberts insisted on them dressing up to go to a restaurant. And that’s what they did, Andy was in a beautiful ruby colored dress, and black high heells, that made her husband want to stay home instead.

“No, I didn’t dress like this to stay at home… You were the one who wanted to go to a fancy restaurant.”

“I didn’t know you had a dress with that cleavage. It’s not fair that I have to spend a night looking at you and do nothing.”

“Well, amaze me tonight, and when we get home, you can enjoy my dress, and what’s under it.”

She said grabbing her purse and running out of home. He just laughed, grabbing the car keys and leaving.   
He did amaze her in that night. They went to a beautiful German restaurant, having a great meal, full of kisses, and shared stories, and then went to walk by the Elliot Bay, sitting in the grass.

“Can you believe that I lived in Seattle my whole life, and I never seated here? I don’t thing I ever took 2 minutes to enjoy the bay.”

“Hum…”

“What is in that mind, honey?” – Andy didn’t even know what was on her mind, she was not the kind of woman to use pet names. But in that moment, it just sounded so natural. 

“I never thought I could love someone again… But here I am, cuddling my lieutenant, my beautiful wife.”

“I think we are both very lucky, you know… We both have had two great loves in our life’s. “

Robert looked at her. They were sitting at the grass, looking at the bay, she was wearing his jacket, with her head on his shoulder, while he had his arm around her.

“I loved Ryan… I don’t exactly know in which way. But I loved him.” – She exhaled for a second, and then kept talking. “It’s not the same love I have for you. You’re the love of my live, but he was my best friend, you know? And… before I met you, I actually thought that I would marry him one day…”

“I think you are also the love of my life…”

Andy left their embrace, looking at him in the eyes.

“I know Claire was the love of your life, and I’m ok with that. I know you love me… I love you too.”

“What I had with Claire was very similar with what you had with Ryan; you know? She was my best friend when we were teenagers, it was me, her, and Lucas. They were the ones who kept me safe when my parents died…”

“You knew them in high school?” – That made Robert smile…

“They became my family, back then…I lived for a while with Lucas’s parents. And then we went to the academy, and Claire and Jennifer went to college together. We were a family.   
The four of us. So, it made sense for me to marry Claire, she was so great. When I say that she was to me what Ryan was to you, I mean it. The circumstances were different, but the type of love, the type of relationship, were the same.”  
Andy’s heart broke, when she saw a tear leaving his eyes. She never realized that he, just like her, had lost his whole family. 

“So, yes Andrea, you are the love of my life. With reminds me of something…”

And then he took a box out of his jacket. 

“You do know we are already married, right?” – She said, kind of in shock.

“Can you ever let me talk until the end?” – He said laughing. – You have no ring on your finger, neither do I... People already know about us, and only God knows how much I love you! You appeared in my life in the most random way possible, and you were a pain in my ass. You wanna know why I was so hard on you? Because I always knew that you were right, and you were, are, so beautiful, and your stubbornness… When I proposed to you, when we were talking about out defects, you talked about you being stubborn. Did you know that, that was what made fall in love with you for the first time? You know what you think and what you want, and you never give up on it. It’s amazing to see.”  
At this point both were crying, and it was beautiful, how a man like Robert Sullivan, always so stiff at work, would go completely soft for this woman. She was his family, his world.

“I love you Andrea, with my whole heart. So…” He opened the box he was holding, and Andy stopped breathing. It was her mother’s ring; Robert had her mother’s ring. She broke down in tears, it was not a cute cry anymore, she was full on crying. “Your father gave this to me in our wedding day. He said that, since we were doing everything in the wrong order, so was he. He said that he knew we were for real, that he saw a glow in your eyes that he’d never seen before. So, I love you Andrea, and you are already my wife. But I want this ring to means more, this ring says that not only I want you to be my wife, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I want to have kids with you. I’m all in. Are you too?”

“Yes.”

He was right, he amazed her in that night. 

__,,__ 

The next morning, Andy woke up alone, with a warm coffee at her bedside table and a note from her husband saying that he went to talk with their boss.

She drank her coffee, took a shower, got dressed and left home, sending a text message to her friends, while getting in the car. 

They all met at Dean’s, bringing beer and vodka. They sat outside, with the baby monitor. Pru was sleeping inside.

“What do we own your visit? Shouldn’t you be at home, having hot sex with your hot husband?” – Vic said, with her typical joke voice. At this point they all already knew about the marriage and supported it.

“He is with Dixon… that’s what I get for marring my Battalion Chief.”

“Again?” – Travis asked while siting with his feet in the water.

Andy just shrugged, and they understood she didn’t want to talk about it.

“Won’t you have a honeymoon? Like beach, and sun, and lots of time just you and your hubby?” – This was Maya’s time to talk.

“Why? Are you missing your honeymoon?” 

“It wasn’t a honeymoon. It was just me and my hot girlfriend on vacation and making love with each other.”

“That’s literally the definition of honeymoon.” – Travis said while getting a text- “Hum… Should I invite Emmet to step by?”

“Dixon junior?”

“Yes… I’m kind of sorry for him… He is part of the team.” – Vic looked at him with a knowing smile on her face.

“Yeah, of course, no one deserves to have a father like his so…”

They all agreed, and with that the whole team staid there, surrounded by water, enjoying a few drinks like they haven’t done in what felt like years.  
At some point Baby Pru started crying, so Dean went inside. While he was preparing the milk, there was a knock t the door, that he opened almost immediately.

“Chief? Oh, hello” 

“Hi Miller, hum… Andy invited me in, her the team was here.”

“We are… oh you brought back up” – He said looking at the pizzas their boss was holding.

“Yeah, figured it matched with drinks.”

“Thank you… oh dam” – The water he had heating for the formula started to spoil, and for a few seconds he didn’t know what to do. What he didn’t expected was that his boss dropped the pizza boxes in the table and prompted to hold the child. “Are you sure, Sir?”

“Outside of your you can call me by my name, and of course.” – Sullivan took the child in his arms, and she immediately started to laugh.

“I swear she does that with everyone but me!”

“Kids tend to do that. They know they’re parents love them so much, that they don’t need to be funny with them.”

Everyone got shocked when they saw they’re boss walk outside with the baby in his arms. Maya looked at Andy, that just smiled at that vision, and, without even thinking about it, started imagining if that could be their child one day.

“Hi chief!” – Maya and Vic said at the same time, sounding like schoolgirls.

“Hello…” – He said back, looking weird at them. Andy just laughed; she knew her friends were just messing up with her husband. He went her way, giving her a peck on the lips, and sitting next to her.

“Congrats on the marriage boss.” – Said Montgomery.

They stayed like that for hours, just talking and enjoying their family. At some point Andy and Sullivan were playing with baby Pru, and Vic took a photo, sending it to Andy. That was just the best way to spend a free day. At that moment, they were so happy, if only life wasn’t preparing a big surprise. A bad one.


	5. The Pain I'm Holding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the calm and romantic days the team had of, comes a harder time, full of challenges. They can survive the first battle, but will they win the war? It’s just incredible, how one problem never comes alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is slightly shorter, but I promise the next ones are holding a bunch of surprises… I have so much ideas that I think we are going to have 30 chapters haha.  
> Thank you so much for the comments, they warm my hard. My work as been killing me (I’m a social worker and work in a bookstore, that stays open during covid-19) so, writing this story keeps me safe. I could never thank you all enough.  
> Hope you enjoy this next chapter, even tho it is a sad one, happier times will come, not soon. After a storm there is always the sun.

Without them even noticing it, they were back to work. When they got to the station that day everyone from B shift kept looking at Andy, which was bothering her, a lot. She hated no knowing if they were looking at her because of her dad’s death, or because of her marriage. But it was pissing her of. At some point a guy made a comment about her getting privileges for doing something with the chief that no one else had the opportunity to do, and then she realized; her friends were alright with her relationship, but that didn’t mean the whole station was. What Brandon, the guy, didn’t expected was for their captain to hear what he said to her best friend, she immediately sculpted him in front of everyone, and asked him to go to her office. 

Everyone went their ways after that. Andy decided that she needed a workout, going towards the gym. So far, she had burnt her toasts, broke her phone while leaving home, and she had to hear an asshole at work. Great.

She was at her 30th burpee when she heard a cough at the door. And she knew immediately who that was.

“Are you alright?” – Her husband, and chief, was leaning against the door frame, in his uniform.

“You already heard? God, news travel fast.”

“Maya told me; she went to ask advice on how to deal with it…”

“I’m fine… it’s just one of these days where I should’ve stayed in bed, in fetal position all day, pretending to be dead.”

“Woa, that’s dramatic. But do you want to? Go home?”

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t ask that!”

He just walked in and took the opportunity of her pause to drink water to hug her from behind, giving her a kiss in the neck.

“Robert, we are at work.”

“You’re having a hard day, I don’t care” – The man said turning her around and kissing her properly.

“Oh, dear professionalism.” – from all the people in the world that could’ve walked in, it had to be Victoria, the person who would make fun of Andy all day.

Sullivan’s phone started to rang, so he apologized and left. Not without his with looking dirty on him for leaving her alone with her crazy friend.

“Don’t, Vic, please” – Andrea said before she could even start talking.

“You’re very sweet, I like it”

Andy smiled, and then it happened. They heard a loud noise in the station, followed by Gipson and Warren screaming for help. Both women left the gym, running towards the  
station stairs. 

Andy just couldn’t believe in what she was seeing. Her husband, the man she loved, was at the bottom of the stair, inconscient. Warren and Gipson were already taking care of him, while Maya and Dean were grabbing materials.

“What happened?” – Vic said running down the stairs.

“He was walking down the stairs and he fell, it was weird, almost like he stopped felling his legs.” – Gipson said, looking confused. Very confused. 

Warren looked towards Andy, who was just in shock, no reaction at all. She just stayed there.

“Travis is already taking the aid car out of the garage, here” – Dean said, while he and their captain brought a gurney, and gave a small container to Jack. Andy recognized it immediately, and that took her out of her trance. 

“NO! He can’t take fentanyl…” – She said while running towards her family.

“Is he allergic? They have ways to contour that at the hospital.” 

“No, he just… he can take fentanyl. Or any kind of drugs at all.”

She knew what she had just revealed, but her husband’s health was more important than anything. Ans it would destroy him when he woke up, if he woke up, and found out he had consumed, even without he’s consent. He would have to go back to day one, and he was so proud of his 3 months clean.

Her team listened to her, they took care of him and Dean, Ben and Travis went to the hospital with him in the aid car. None of them allowed Andy to go along. She was his direct family, after all. Instead she went with Vic, while Bishop stayed at the station to organize thing, since the team was unavailable. Andy didn’t say a word during the ride to the hospital, she didn’t move, she didn’t cry, Vic wasn’t even sure she was breathing. The lieutenant herself wasn’t sure of what she was feeling at the moment, she just couldn’t believe it. Her team just found out about her husband’s addiction, his leg gave up, making him fall of the stairs, hitting his head. But, most of all, she was in panic, the person she loved the most was in dangerous, he was hurt, and she didn’t know to what extent. 

When they got to Grey-Sloan, everything became even more real. Warren gave all the information’s to the doctors, going inside with them. She was glad he was with Robert, he knew his history, and was his friend. Her husband deserved to have at least a friend with him at that moment. She was also glad to see that his doctor were Amelia Shepperd, Meredith Grey and Maggie Pierce, she trusted them. Her team stayed with her the whole time, taking her to the waiting room, sitting her. Travis and Vic were at the chairs next to her, each of them grabbing one of her hands.

It was to much, to soon. Three weeks before she was burring her father, she couldn’t lose her husband. There was a lot of thing she still wanted to do with him: she wanted to go on a proper honeymoon, she wanted to travel, to have children with him, see them grow up; she wanted to have a family with him. It was insane how she never realized how much she wanted, and needed, to have a family with that man. 

“Hey” 

Meredith Grey came closer to her, grabbed a chair and sat in front of Andy.

“How is he?” That was all she was able to say.

“You know about his CRPS don’t you?”

Andy just nodded.

“From what we understood, he’s leg gave out in the wrong moment, and he fell. He has a small concussion, but that was the only consequence of the fall. However, the nerve on his leg is worst, and he has some damage in his spine.” Andy stopped breathing at that moments, it was like something in her clicked, and she started crying, compulsively. 

“Andy, he needs surgery. You need to be the one signing the papers.”

“He is unconscious?”

“We chose to keep him sleeping… Don’t worry, Dr.Shepperd made sure he could take those drugs. He is in good hands.”

Meredith stayed there, answering all of Andy’s questions, and then they went to office to sign all of the papers. Andy came back to her friends, sitting at her previous place. After a while Ben Warren joined them, answering everyone’s questions. They staid there for hours, making sure Andy was ok, they brought her water, food, even though she wouldn’t eat. Warren gave his friend a sleeping pill, and took her to an on-call room, after getting his wife’s approval. He staid there, looking after his friend. 

Andy was profoundly asleep when Amelia Shepperd walk in the room.

“Never thought I would find her asleep…” The female doctor said walking in, sitting in the bed, next to Andy.

“I gave her a dose and half of melatonin. Her father just passed away, she doesn’t have a mother and her best friend died 5 months ago, in her arms… tell her husband is ok.”

“He is fine, the surgery was a success, but we can only be sure of the results once he wakes up. She will be able to see him in an hour or so…”

“Okay, does the team knows?”

“Legally, she needs to be the first to know… but you gave her a dose that could knock a horse down. You go tell them; I’ll stay with her.”

And that’s what happened. Ben told his team about the updates, and they decided that they could use a break. Dean and Travis went home, while Vic and Jack stayed. Their friend would need some of them there. 

After a while Andy woke up, and Amelia Shepperd, giving her a cup of tea, updated her, and held her while she cried of relief.  
When she walked in the room Robert was already awake and smiled when he looked at her. The woman walked closer until the bed, slapping him in the arm as soon as she got close enough. 

“Don’t you ever dare doing something like that again.” 

“Hey, I’m fine, sweetheart. I’m fine…”

He grabbed her hand, while she seated at the bed.

“I was so scared Bobby, so scared. I can’t lose you, I just…”

He grabbed her by the arm, guiding her to lay next to him, with her head in his chest. They stayed like this for hours, talking about how much they loved each other, how much they needed each other. They ended up falling asleep like that, and, following orders directly from Dr. Bailey, the hospital staff allowed Andrea to stay by her husband. Her team ended up going home, after seeing their boss and talking to him for a while. Meredith Grey told them to go in peace, that, if it was needed, she was there for their friend.  
It was around 4am when Robert woke up, and was surprised by his already awake wife, making invisible drawings with her hand on his chest.

“A penny for your thoughts?” He said, while kissing her head.

“I want to have kid with you.”

He was speechless, never in life he expected her to say that. 

“Not now. Not soon. But, one day, I want to have kids with you, a lot.”

He understood what she meant. They were a family, and the idea of projecting a future together, a family, was incredible. 

“I wanna have kids with you too, Andrea.”

And with that they fell asleep again, not knowing if that was a dream, or if that conversation happened. One thing was for sure: no mather what happened, they loved each other, and together they could take anything the future had prepared for them.


	6. Another Page of the Book

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When one obstacle in their life’s passes, another comes. Will it be to much? To soon? Only time can tell, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is, so far, my favorite chapter, although I know there are a few great things coming 😊  
> Thank you so much for the great feedback I’m getting, you comments are the ones who motivate me, and make wanna write more, and better for you. You have no idea how much you brighten my life.  
> Hope you like it!

In the morning Andy was still in her husband’s arms, Meredith and Amelia agreed that there was no need for the rounds in that room, leaving them in peace. 

The team decided to visit their boss at the hospital. Maya and Vic took washed clothes to Andy, the woman was still wearing her yoga pants from the day before. They met at the hospital, where ben was already waiting for them. 

“Warren, you woke up earlier today?”

“Wanted to check up on Sullivan before you came in… plus, I was worried about Herrera.”

“How are they?” – Maya was visibly worried, despite all the trouble her friendship with Andy had gone trough lately, she loved her best friend with all her heart.

“Well… medically speaking, he is getting better. Saw his stats this morning and he is recovering well, no casualties. Personally speaking, as he’s subordinate and Andy’s friend…   
I’m traumatized.

“What do you mean?” – They all started to panic, thinking about the worst.

“Don’t freak out, at least not until you see this.

They were expecting the worst; was their bosses’ leg really swallowed? Was Andy crying a lot? They tough about all the possible scenarios. What the team didn’t expect was to see their lieutenant and their Battalion Chief spooning, literally spooning. 

“Oh God! Now I’m going to have this picture in my brain the whole day.” – Travis said with a weird out face. 

While that, Vic took the opportunity to take a picture with her phone laughing. 

“And I’m going to have a literal picture of this” 

“Are you what, trying to make an album of Andy’s and Sullivan’s life?”

“I’m trying to make an album of material to bribe Andy, that’s it.”

“Should we wake them up?” – Dean whispered.

“You don’t have too. Vic, I want that picture.” – Andrea said without opening her eyes. She felt her husband hug her closer, and, knowing her friends were there, she passed her hand along his arm.

“Robert, wake up. We have invasions in the room.” – The lieutenant finally opened her eyes, blushing a bit due to the scene.

“Come on Andy, five more minutes and I’m the one making breakfast.” – He snuggled more.

“Now we know chief likes do cuddle. Great.” – Ben said, sitting on a chair. They all laughed, sitting on different places of the room, Vic and Travis at the windows rail, Dean on some other chair while Maya took the sofa next to the door.

Andy, finally gathered the courage to sit at the bed, adjusting so Sullivan had his had in her lap. She started to get worried, he wasn’t like this. Usually he was the easiest person waking up, full of energy, annoying her. 

Ben noticed her worry, deciding to help her unwind.

“He is still under some of the anesthesia effects, it’s normal.”

“That’s true, and he is having a great recovery. Did you have a good night?” – Dr. Shepperd entered the room, smiling at Andrea. 

“Yeah… He didn’t have any pain, I think…”

“His vitals were stabilized during the night, which is great. I would like to run a few labs during the day, but if everything checks out, he will be cleared to go home tomorrow. Of course, there will be physical therapy, but we’ll tall about it once he’s awake.”

“Thank you so much… I really don’t know how to…”

“Andy, it’s my job, plus, I know about your friendship with my sisters, Mer and Maggie. Now, I think you better go home, take a shower, he will still be here when you come back.”  
“Really not comfortable with going home… I’m fine.”

“We have your clothes here, at least go change, and have breakfast. I’ll go with you, and he won’t be alone.”

After a while them ended up convincing the lieutenant. When she got back, her husband was already awake, sitting in his bed, eating something the nurse had brought him. The smile hi gave when he saw his wife didn’t come unnoticed to anyone. It was a beautiful thing to see. Andy seated next to him, giving him a small kiss, aware of their audience. 

They all stayed like that for a while, until their team went home, one by one. The nurse stepped by the room to collect his blood, as well as his doctor to examined him. 

“How have you been feeling?” – They were now both sitting in the bed, side by side. Robert was reading a book while Andy was on her phone, talking to her friends.

“Have no pain, still a bit dizzy, but I’m fine.”

“Great…”

Everything seemed to be going back on track, until Robert got the phone call that would change everything.

__,,__

A month and a half had passed, and while Andy came back to work just a shift later, her husband was still home. Not only he was on a heath leave, taking physical therapy daily, and an occasional visit to a check up at the hospital, but he also was on a war level with Dixon, who defended that he was not capable of being a Battalion Chief anymore. 

He had several meetings with his boss, who was determined that he should retire from firefighting. After a few talks Dixon agreed that, after his recovery, and being analyzed by the department doctors, Sullivan could return to work. Sullivan also took the opportunity to tell his boss about his former addiction to the pain meds. And, as much as he wanted to believe his boss let that slide because of his great work, or for compassion, Robert knew that the key for him to keep his work had been Dixon’s ego. The Firefighters Chief couldn’t let anyone know that the Battalion Chief he personally chose had done such a bad thing. It would ruin his reputation, right?  
Those two weeks were extremally stressful for Andy and Robert. After all, not knowing about their future was scary, and every time her husband met with their boss, she tough of the consequences that they could have to face. 

The day at the station was calm, everyone doing their usual tasks, after an infernal work out, courtesy of their captain. Andy was in the garage with Travis when she saw a familiar face walking in, in his crutches, wearing his sweatpants, and tight shirt. God, how she loved that man.

“Chief, what do we own the honor?” – Travis said, on his way to grab a chair. Sullivan gladly took it, sitting next to where they where working. 

“Going insane at home, not joking. I just spent two hours watching tiktok videos. I repeat, tiktok videos, me!”

His two subordinates just cracked with laughter. Somehow the image of Robert Sullivan at his sofa, watching to some celebrity dancing Shakira’s ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ was clear in their   
heads. 

“Not funny!”

“Claro que no! No estábamos diciendo eso, mi amor.” (Of course not, we weren’t saying that, love)

“Don’t speak Spanish, this is exactly the kind of conversation I want to be included in!” – Travis said, pretending to be offended. 

A dispatch for the aid car came up, that was Travis and Vic. Andy stayed alone with Robert in the garage. She took the opportunity of the being alone in the place to walk closer, sitting in his lap, making sure she only put weight on his good leg.

“Are you sure that boredom was the only reason for you to come here?” – She said, putting her hand on his back, fixing his shirt a bit.

“Yeah, of course, that, and the fact that I missed my wife, who is in the middle of a 24h shift. 

She didn’t believe her husband, even for a second. There was other reason, it had to be another reason. She knew him, she knew that when he was anxious he wouldn’t stop fidgeting his leg, or touch his own beard. Something was off and she new it, but chose to ignore, just kissing him. 

Eventually Andrea got back to work, while her husband went to the beanery, hanging out with his team. It was only when she saw Dixon walking in the Station that she was sure something was going on. Their boss walked in her captain’s office directly, without saying anything to anyone else. 

They stayed in there for hours. Everyone kept talking about their boss’s presence and it was driving Andy crazy. The team was at the beanery making diner, including Sullivan, who kept getting questions about the meeting in the office downstairs, never giving a straight answer. When Captain Bishop walked in the beanery everything turned silent.

“Herrera, come to my office, please.”

And then she turned her back to the room and left, Andy, who was sitting in a sofa next to her husband, took a while getting up. Frightened. Without saying a word to the group looking at her, she just went downstairs.

When she walked into that office, she got chills, literal chills. Her best friend and her chief were standing, behind the desk, side by side, in a very formal posture, that made her walk straighter.

“Walk in lieutenant.”

She walked, standing in front of them, on the other side of the table. It was only to her surprise when her Captain leaned down to put something at the table, but the bigger surprise was the object utself. Andy dreamed about these several times, but there was always something in the way. That couldn’t be for her, could it? 

“Do you know what this is, lieutenant?” – Dixon said, keeping his voice stable.

“Captain bars, Sir.” – She said, simply and dry.

“We have a proposal to you. The department has a proposal to you. Sit down Herrera.”

The three of them seated, and Andy couldn’t believe in what she was listening. The creation of the PRT changed things in the department, and they needed a bigger control of the paramedics. They wanted to make a pilot project in Station 19, having to captains in order to separate the firefighting and the medical parts of the job. And for that they needed to captains at the station.

Andy’s first instinct was to denies it, until they explained it better to her. 

“You won’t stop being a firefighter, your responsibility will be mostly search and rescue, as well as human damage control. You two will work as equals, deciding who is in charge in which situation. Bottom line is pretty clear, if there is only materials or property in danger, it’s Captain’s Bishop responsibility, if there are human life’s in danger it is your scene lieutenant, or should I say Captain, Herrera?”

Andy didn’t know what to say, this could get messy. But at the same time the idea of managing the Aid Car, the human resources and the PRT was a dream. And this was a challenge for her, she loved that.

“I have questions. A lot of them”

“Go ahead.”

“Does Ben Warren agree with this? The PRT was his idea, he has been the one in charge.”

“He does and he agreed, he was actually pretty happy with the idea.” – Maya said with a proud smile.

“Why me? Does Chief Sullivan know?”

“Your husband has nothing to do with this decision. He knows, we talked to him, but this was a decision from the department boards, without his presence. The department is aware of your personal relationship Herrera, we wouldn’t allow him to be the one deciding this.”

“Ok, I’ll take the job.”

The now Captain said with a determined look on her face, smiling proudly at her best friend. This would be an interesting, yet challenging road, and she was dying to walk the whole way.


	7. Preparing for more

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy and her family celebrate her promotion, lots of tears, and hugs, and dedications.  
> But, is it really a good thing when things are going so great, life is never so good, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sooooooo sorry. Yesterday, after work, I had to write a report so I had no time. And today, after work, I was soooo exhausted because yesterday I stayed up late writing the report -.- 
> 
> So, I made a mini chapter, just so I wouldn’t leave you without everything. It’s not my favorite, but trust me when I say that a bunch of news are on their way… and it’s going to be awesome haha
> 
> Thank you so much for your comments, I really value you and your opinions. Tell me, is there anything you would like to see happen in the fanfiction? Leave your ideas in the comments, I may make it happen.   
> Lot’s of love,

When Andy walked in the beanery she was greeted with smiles, specially from her husband, who stayed in the sofa. Everyone hugged and congratulated the new captain, saying how happy they were for her.

Sullivan got up and walked to his wife, with the help of his crutches, hugging her.

“I’m so proud of you. You deserve this, more than anyone else.” – Andy felt chills with the way her husband whispered at her ear, just for her.

“Come on chief, kiss your wife, we all gonna pretend we didn’t see anything. Just today.”

And he did, a kiss that made everyone open their eyes a little bit. As for Herrera and Sullivan, everyone else disappeared, the only thing that mattered was the fact that their life’s   
kept going better, and better.

They eventually had to get away from each other, Robert went home, t rest his leg, while Andy had a meting with Maya, to settle thing down. There were going to be a lot of changes at the station, and the two woman had to make it work, for everyone’s safety. Captain Herrera then had a meeting with Ben Warren, about the PRT and other concerns that involved aid cars. If she was going to be the captain of a pilot project, she was going to do it right, she had to be the best.

The rest of the shift was extremely calm, only with two small fires, and a lady with an heart attack, giving the team time to clean and do tasks, as well as work out. While they all slept at night, they new captain was in her bunk, with her computer making projects, and organizing. 

At the morning, right before the end of the shift, everyone reunited at the garage for a briefing about the shift. Andy took that moment to talk with her people, first explaining exactly what her new job was, as how she and Bishop planned to organize things. Then talking about how thing were gonna be when she was the one in charge, saving the most important words for the end.

“Thank you. To all of you. I couldn’t do this without every single one of you.”

She said walking in front of the team, she stopped in from of Travis, who was at the end of them.

“I know you told Ripley I should be captain, and you were always like a big brother to me.”

She then gave a step to stay in front of Warren.

“You looked after my father’s health, and then you helped Robert with his problem. I really can’t thank you enough for that.”

“Jack… I… You know what you mean to me, what you always meant for me…”

“Even though you married other guy when you told me you hated the idea of marriage.”

“Hey… you had to ruin the moment, didn’t you?”

He just hugged her.

“I never though I would say this, but you are like a sister to me Andy. That’s more that enough.” – That got Andy crying, Gipson was important, not just because of their past, but he was a real friend, and, just like he said, they were like siblings at that point. 

When she stepped in front of Dean, he just said.

“Hey Captain, if I want to hear someone crying, I go home for my daughter”

“We don’t talk enough, but you are great at drinking beers with me.” 

Andy stopped for a bit before keep talking.

“I also would like to thank you, for naming your daughter after my dad… He was very proud of that.”

And then there was Vic, who barely allowed Andy to get closer before talking. No one on the team knew, but the two woman got very close after Lucas death, Andy and Sullivan were best friends at the time, and the two of them dedicated a lot of their time to Jennifer and Victoria. Specially after Ryan passed, the two woman got closer. They understood each other’s pain.

“You are my sister; I don’t think there is anyone in this world so similar to me. Also, without your support during… I can’t even… Thank you. So much.”

The next person, and last, in the lineup was Emmet Dixon.

“You kept his secret, while I didn’t know, while he wasn’t prepared to face it, you kept his secret. Thank you for that. You have potential probie. Don’t give up.”

The captain turned around, looking at Maya, went to her, holding her hands.

“It was not your fault. That Robert promoted you, he was right, I would’ve messed up. You are a great captain and a great friend, and I’m so thankful for having you in my life.”

They hugged, none of the two being able to say a word. 

Full of tears, they ended the shift, going home, they all deserved to rest, after the emotional bath Herrera gave them. 

If Andy though that her shift was emotional, it was because she had no idea of what her day of was going to be. When the woman got home every light was of, and there was candles everywhere. She took her coat and shoes of, as well as her bag, walking inside. 

“Bobby?”

And that when she saw her husband, with his pajamas, at the top of the stairs.

“What is happening?” – Andy said, starting to go up the stairs.

“Well, I just decided that your promotion was something to be celebrated.”

Her husband walked her to their bathroom, where there was a bubble bath, with salts and candles, as well as her pajama prepared for her. He helped her undress, kissing her, driving her to the bath.

“Come in with me, please.” 

And the men obeyed, how could he not? 

The bath was the most relaxing thing ever, full of love making, and playfulness. They both laid in the bathtub, Andy standing in front of her husband, between his legs, he was kissing her neck, while she played with his arms.

“You did all of this with crutches?”

“I did way more than this with crutches… you will see”

And he was serious, after their bath, they went to the bedroom and it looked like a movie, their bed was full of rose petals, there was a box of pizza in there, and glasses of wine, along with the bottle.

“Oh my God, Rob.”

“I love you; you deserve the best.”

And that was how they spent the rest of the night. Watching bad tv, eating pizza, drinking wine, and surrending to each other’s bodies.

Andrea just couldn’t believe how her life was going so far. Was it possible it was so amazing? Or was this a sign that things were about to change? But the thing was, not all changes are bad.


	8. Sarah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy loves how controlled and great her life is.  
> Well, she is going to lose the control, but that’s what is going to make it greater. Or not. You never know what life can bring to you, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I already said to a few people, this week was crazy for me!   
> However, next week I get holidays from work, which means lot’s of time to write. And I’m getting SO exited about this story haha  
> Also, you’re comments and support in all platforms is what makes me want to write, so, keep doing it, you are my fuel 😊  
> Hope you like this chapter; I personally think it’s one of the bests in this story!  
> Thank you so much and enjoy!

Five months passed, Sullivan was back to work, better than ever. He still had physical therapy, at least once a month, but it was getting easier to work out, and the pain barely existed. 

Andy was also at her best, the work was going great, she and Maya were getting along being both captains, and Dixon even asked her to give a little bit of help to the other stations on getting their work better done. She was loving it, being in control of something so big.

That was the thing, the woman loved to have everything under control, her marriage was going great, so did her friendships and work. She was really feeling that anything that life would throw in her way could shake that control. But how could she be so wrong?

It was a Wednesday morning, Andy and Robert ere home and had just woke up. The couple was cuddling in bed, drinking coffee and seeing Facebook notifications, as well as work emails. It was Robert the first to decide to put the phone down, laying his head on his wife’s lap, making her drop coffee on the sheets, laughing.

“Really?”

“I need attention! Give attention to your man!”

Andy laughed, putting her mug on the bedside table, to be able to kiss him properly.

“I’m soaked in coffee.”

“Great, I can clean you with my mouth if you want to…”

And he did, leading to a beautiful intimate moment between husband and wife. After that they got up, showered, and left for work. Andy loved that routine, waking up, staying a bit in bed together, having morning sex, getting to work. It was everything she never realized she needed. 

They got to the station and went immediately for their respective offices. Andy was proud of hers; it was a room right next to the garage, that connected directly to a bunk that now said, ‘Captains Bunk’, she loved it. And she loved that Bishop was the one decorating it for her and having the idea “You are a captain now Andy, you need your own office.” 

And she loved that she had a direct view for the aid car and the PRT, she could always be checking up on things. 

She was filling some papers when the alarm went of. Her heart hurt a little bit when she saw what the call was; a fire at an orphanage, mainly with kids between the ages of 5 to 10. 

When they got to the place it looked terrible, lots of crying children, with the workers trying to control, calm and count them. The Social Worker who runned the place went immediately to talk with the captains. 

“  
Hello, my name is Melinda, I’m the director… We… I…”

“Hi Melinda, my name is Robert, I’m the Battalion Chief, this are Captain Herrera and Captain Bishop. We need you to breath and tell us if everyone is out or if there is anyone hurt. Can you do that?”

“Everyone’s out, I think… Hum, there are a few kids coughing, and two of my workers have burns on them…”

Robert looked at the captains who knew immediately what to do. While Bishop went with most of the team inside, working on the actual fire, Herrera stayed outside with Warren, Avery and Dixon. The four of them did a check up on people, giving the necessary care. 

“Oh my God, oh my God”

“Hey lady, what is you name? You need to breath, everything is going to be alright!”

“No… She is still inside.”

“Who’s inside?” – Warren started to get worried. Melinda and Andy suddenly were by their side.

“Beatrice, who’s inside? Tell me, if one of my kids stayed there… we need to go inside, and…”

“Sarah is there!”

The look in the Social Worker was something that none of them would ever forget. The woman went pale, and Ben had to hold her. 

“Who is Sarah? Hey, we need information.”

Andy worked in this job long enough to know that, just because something had a name, it didn’t have to be a person. 

“Our youngest child, she’s two… And has Down Syndrome… She must have hided, she does that a lot when she is scared. I can believe we didn’t see…”

The captain didn’t even let her finish talked before she started to give orders. A child inside, specially a disabled one, changed everything. 

When she walked inside the building, she was terrified. There was no way a two years old would survive in there, everything was aches and fire. The team searched for over an hour, and everyone started to lose hope. 

That’s when it happened. The moment that everything changed.

Andy was in a bedroom, when she saw the little feet coming out of under the bed, so she went to the other side of the bed, laying on the floor and looking. 

The kid was laying, under the bed with her tiny hand covering her head, bouncing a bit. Andy felt helpless, and relieved at the same time. She stretched her hand, without touching the child, just enough for her to see that she was there. 

After that she communicated through the radio, saying she had found her, alive. 

“Hello Sarah, I’m Andy… I’m a firefighter. Just here to help you, ok?”

The baby looked at her, shanking with fear. Andy had her heart broken at that moment. She stayed there, laying on the dirty floor, just talking to her, watching as her fear got smaller, and she got closer to her. As soon as she had the childs’ confidence, she holder her, carrying her out of the building. 

As the team stayed in the scene, fighting the fire, Andy insisted on going with the child to the hospital. She never left her side, she just couldn’t get away from her. There was something drawing her, and she wasn’t able to identify what it was. 

The team got to the hospital a few hours later, the kids and workers all went there to be checked, as well as the firefighters. Sullivan went directly to the pediatric lane with the Director, who was furiously talking on the phone, trying to find places for her kids to stay, while the orphanage was unviable. 

They both looked taken away when they walked in the room, seeing the Captain on a chair, still on her uniform, holding the asleep child in her arms. 

“Hey…”

“Oh, hi... sorry, she was crying and I just...”

The social worker just smiled. Making a gesture telling Andy to stay where she was. It was incredible, how, even that woman that did not know them from nowhere, saw Roberts face when he looked properly at his wife holding a kid. 

It was like he got hit by a light he did not know existed. When he looked at that girl everything went numb. It was unreal. 

They stayed as long as they could, but eventually had to go back to the station. There were still 10 hours left on their shift, and they needed to be ready in case any other call got in. The Social Worker insisted on giving her number to Andy and Sullivan, in case their needed anything. 

The rest of the shift was somewhat calm. The typical small calls, but nothing to stressful as the beginning of their day was. Andy walked on her husband’s office, and saw him seating in his chair, not even pretending he was doing his job. The man was just sitting, looking ahead, lost in his thoughts.

“Are you ok? Shift is almost ending… I’m going to take shower and change clothes.”

Andy said walking closer to her husbands’ desk, countering it, sitting in his lap, after checking that all the blinds were closed. The man just hugged her.

“I was thinking… Do you want to go to the hospital after shift? To see Sarah?”

Andy smiled, looking in his eyes.

“She doesn’t leave my head either. It’s incredible, how a child that age, with her limitations, had the capacity, the instinct, to just hide in a safe place during a fire…”

They kept talking, about the things they had witnessed in their past 24hours. And how they both were impressed with that girl. After that, they went to change to their civilian clothes, leaving together at the end of the shift, going towards the hospital. 

Sullivan was in the room, giving a jelly to Sarah, while Andy stayed outside with Melinda; the tow woman had gone for a coffee and were delighted when they got back and saw the man’s interaction with the kid. 

“Are you two a couple?”

“Yes, married for 8 months now…” 

The woman smiled, and, after a little hesitation, she decided to talk.

“Thank you for saving her… She has had a complicated past, we always try to protect her, specially cause she is the youngest kid at her care.”

“That’s the thing I don’t get, your orphanage has kids over 5, right? She’s 2, why do you have her? 

“You’ve noticed she has a disability, right?” Andy just nodded “She was left to state care when she was born, her mother was 16, and a drug addict, and her father died before she   
was born. Most kids get adopted almost immediately, but, because of Down Syndrome, no one wanted her. She’s a really smart girl, you know. She’s learning at a normal rage, she walks, and runs… She loves to dance. It’s ridiculous how her appearance makes it so hard for her to get a family.”

“But she has disabilities, right? Down Syndrome comes with some deficits...”

“Yes, but most of those children get over them. With help, the right kind of support and love, people with Down can live a normal life.”

Andy just looked at the way her husband and the child were playing with each other, while eating. She loved that view.

“How is she?”

“The fire didn’t affect her that much… The doctors just wanted to keep her in observation for one night. I’m staying with her.”

“What about the other kids?”

“They all got transferred, so will she, tomorrow. I’m already working on finding a good installation for us, but until then, they all have to be separated.”

“Where is she going?”

“I can’t tell you that. But I can give you the papers for you two to make a decision It’s your call.”

“What?”

Andy just looked ahead one last time. Was this woman suggesting what she thought she was. They couldn’t do that, could they? A thousand doubts crossed her mind, but the truth was that the Captain could not shake that feeling from her heart. She wanted it. She wanted to be that girl’s mother. And she knew, just by looking at the smile of her husband’s face while he played with that girl, that he also had made a decision at his heart.


	9. The first they of the rest of our lifes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After their first encounter with the little girl, Andy and Robert cannot think about anything else. Will it be a good thing? Or will it cause them even more problems? 
> 
> One thing is for sure, Sarah as both of their hearts, and that a powerful thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo sorry for the time it took me to write this, but I was kind of blocked. Wrote this chapter over 3 times, never liked it, so I ended up deleting it. However, this one I find kind of acceptable so… There you have!  
> Also, I am a social worker in Portugal, so I know how an adoption process goes in my country, but this is the kind of thing that changes A LOT from one country to another, so forgive me if I say something extremely wrong (I also work mainly with elderly people and in palliative care so…)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, hope you are enjoying it! 
> 
> Do not forget to leave in the comments your opinions and what you would like to see happening, I have a few ideas, but I would love to make some of your real too.

The two days off went by quickly, Andrea and Robert took that time to talk, and plan. The couple was determined to be that girl’s family. They ended up having lunch with Melinda, so she could advise them, and help them understand what could happen along the way. The social worker also gave them a huge list of requirements they needed to take care of. And they worked on it, those 48 hours, instead of spending time with their friends, or cuddling in their sofa, they spent 48 hours searching for a house with two rooms, as well as daycares.

It was now 7 am, and the shift started at 8. Andrea and Robert were cuddling in bed, talking about their plans for the child they wanted to be theirs.

“Are we getting to hopeful? I mean, there are thons of things that can go wrong with an adoption process, Rob… I am so scared!”

“Melinda said we have good chances. And I believe in us.”

He kissed his wife.

“But I think those chances will decrease if we get unemployed.”

Andy laughed at that, holding her husband closer.”

“We need to get up and go to work, don’t we?”

When they got to the station everyone was already in the beanery, mid breakfast. 

“Good morning bosses.”

Ben said when they walked in, still on their civilian clothes.

“Did you enjoy the time home, without talking with your friends for two days?”

Maya joked, only getting a smile from her best friend. 

“They are on their first hear of marriage, let them enjoy their sexy time.”

Of course, Vic had to make an inappropriate comment. They enjoyed their breakfast, joking and talking like the family they were.

Everyone ended up going to their respective tasks, with no calls in that they, the team had the time to leave the station immaculately clean. Andy told Warren she wanted to have a inventory of the PRT on her desk, so the man spent the whole day in there, with her, transferring the data to her computer. The captain kept looking at the doctor, and he was starting to suspect that something was going on.

“Boss, is everything ok?”

“I… I wanted to ask you something. But it cannot leave this office, ok?”

Ben was starting to get worried; his boss had been acting weird all day. When she said, he could only think about one thing.

“Is everything alright with the chief? With his leg?”

“What? No, Robert is fine… But, hum…”

“Boss, you can talk to me.”

“How did you and Dr. Bailey know that you wanted to adopt? And it was so fast, how did he react? Did you…”

“Oh my God, it’s that girl. The one from the fire, isn’t she?”

“We went to see her at the hospital after shift, she just didn’t leave our minds… And the social worker said something. We want to be her parents, so much.”

“But at the same time, you are scared, am I right?”

“I am terrified!”

They kept talking; Warren told her about the challenges of parenthood, how there were going to be hard times; but he also told her about all of the good things about having a kid, how about a child’s smile would mean the world. 

It was just before dinner when Sullivan knocked at his wife’s door, Warren gave him a smile, leaven the office, and heading towards the beanery. Andy showed the inventory to her husband, making a few adjustments. 

“What about the schedule? Do you agree with it?”

Sullivan was about to answer when both heard a knock at the door. 

“Can I walk in without seeing both of my bosses naked?”

“Come in Vic!”

The firefighter walked in, smiling at her friends.

“Dinner is ready, so… unless you want to stay here and get feed of each other’s bodies, you might considering going to the beanery.”

She said, leaving while laughing of her friends face at her joke. Andy and Sullivan got up, also laughing. Truth was, why adopt a child when they already had Victoria Hughes?

Three weeks later Andy and Sullivan were at home, in their bed, both exhausted of the love session they had just had, now laying in each other’s arms.

“I’m nervous… is it bad? Or normal?”

“We are coming home with a two years old today, it’s perfectly normal that you are nervous. So am I.”

It was 8am, they had a meeting with Melinda at the new orphanage building at 9am. That was the meeting. The one that would decide if they had the conditions to take their daughter home. That was the day that they were going to bring their daughter home, and, depending on the visits of several social workers at their home in the following months, they were just 6 months away of being officially Sarah’s parents. 

“I can’t forget what Melinda told us last week.”

“What part?”

“About the speed of the adoption process… It is ridiculous, just all of it. I’m not even going to comment the fact that usually it takes a couple over a year to adopt a child, but…   
How can the state openly say that a disabled kid gets adopted faster cause they are just expenses? It’s awful!”

Robert agreed with his wife, kissing her. They kept talking for a while, until decided to get up, getting ready to be with their child. 

Once they got to the orphanage, they saw their Sarah, who runned to their arms. They had met the girl a couple of times after she left the hospital, and she loved them, as much as they loved her. Anyone could see that; they belonged together. 

“Let’s go to my office. Sarah, today you can come in with us.”

Melinda said, with a smile on her face. Every time they had a meeting in the building, the girl would cry about not being able to go with them in the office. Once they got in, Melinda seated in her desk, while Andy and Robert sat on the opposite side, Sarah at the man’s lap. 

“Sarah, I have a question for you sweetie…”

The girl just looked at the social worker.

“Do you wanna go home with Andy and Robert?”

She said slowly, even though she was a very developed girl for her age and situation, Melinda talked slowly to make sure the kid was understanding.

“They will be my parents?”

Andy smiled at the way she stumbled on the words. But it was Robert who decided to talk.

“Yes, we will. If you want us to.”

“Yes! Please!”

The smile on the girl’s face couldn’t get bigger, and all the adults in the room smiled at that. It was actually heartwarming to see.

After talking about the details of the next few weeks and signing the papers, Andrea and Robert left with their new daughter. 

“Are we going to your home?”

She asked while her mother tucked her in the car seat her father had installed at the car days before. 

“Hum… our home. Ladybug, that is your home too now.”

“But we were thinking about going out for lunch, to celebrate that you are with us. What do you think?”

“Lunch out?”

And that’s when they realized. Most of the experiences that were normal for a two years old, their Sarah never had. Going to the park, to lunch, eating an ice cream, family walks… she never had them.

The three of them went out for lunch, the couple decided with McDonalds, and their child loved it. Even though Andy didn’t feel like eating that much, she loved to have that experience with her family. It warmed her heart to see her daughter putting her fingers on ketchup and eating it like that, and how her husband taught her to dip her fries in the mcflurry, which she found disgusting, but her daughter loved. That was the dream she never knew she had. Her own family.

The rest of the day went by too fast. After lunch, they went to the park for a while, but eventually decided to go home. They needed to show the house to their daughter, and find their new routine, after all, it didn’t matter how much they prepared, parenthood was a huge change. 

“This is my new house? Wawww!”

Little Sarah was delighted when they entered their new home. She touched everything in her parents living room, and again in their kitchen. But it was when they got to her room that the girl got speechless. It had white walls, but at the center it had a bed with pink curtains over it. Sarah loved to have her own toys, and a bookshelf, she started to jump and going from one thing to another, while her parents stood at the door, Robert behind Andrea, hugging her.

“She’s not going to sleep today, will she?”

“Don’t think so baby.”

They stayed like that for a while, until their daughter started to trow toys at the floor, asking them to play with her. 

“So… we are all princesses, ok?”

The girl said while making them sit at the floor, preparing a tea party in the middle of the three.

“I don’t know if I want to be a princess…” 

Sullivan said, while Andy laughed looking at her husband.

“Oh come on, you will do it for Sarah right?”

The woman said in a provocative tone.

“Yeah, be a princess! Here.”

The little girls gave him a tiara she had found in a box, and Andy just couldn’t stop laughing while he was putting it on his head, resigned. The woman took that opportunity to grab her phone and take a photo. 

“This will help you to get your team’s respect.”

The man jumped, taking his wife, both laying on the floor and laughing. Sarah stood there, next to them laughing at them. That’s when Sullivan also grabbed her so she would fall in their laps. 

Andy’s heart was swelling with love. How was it even possible that she was in her house, on the floor with the two most important people of her life? How was it possible that a girl made her, and her husband fall so in love with her? 

It was unbelievable, how love could move walls. Was that happiness supposed to stay? Was it possible that life would smile to them like that? Or was it preparing for something else? 

That was the thing. It never stays the same, it never stays perfect. 

Or does it?


	10. It never stays the same

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When they’re life is already going through so many changes, a new one is on the way. How will Andy deal with it? Will she be able do take all of it once?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was easy to write hahaha
> 
> I do not have much to say about this chapter, only that my favorite part of this story is about to start…  
> I am so thankful for your feedback and comments!!! Thank you all so much, I’m very glad you are enjoying this as much as I am 😊 
> 
> Hope you like this one too, stay safe.

Andy woke up earlier, something was off. It took her a couple minutes, before realizing that she wasn’t in her husband’s arms; there was someone between them. However, the woman loved what she saw: her daughter, her beautiful daughter was the one taking the place between the captain and her man. It was the most amazing view in the world, and   
Andy just wished she would have it for the rest of her life.

“You are smiling like that because you are not the one choking...”

Robert whispered, referring to the arm their daughter had around his neck. 

“She’s hugging you, it’s adorable. You are adorable.”

“One of my many qualities…”

And that is how the rest of their morning went by. The couple waited, patiently, for their child to wake up; the three of them got up, and right after breakfast went to their   
backward to work out. Andy and Robert had that habit, to do morning work outs in the morning. They just didn’t know how it would be a funny family tradition. 

Sarah loved it, to be on the grass, doing the exercises with her parents, even in her clumsy way. The girl kept laughing and the two parents, even exhausted from the exercises, kept playing with her. Right after they finished, instead of going home, the couple decided to stay outside with their child, playing and getting dirty on the grass. 

Time went by, and the family had to go inside and get ready for their lunch. This was their Sunday family lunch, where they would introduce their daughter to their team. At this point everyone knew about the new addition to their big family, however, Andrea and Robert decided that they only wanted to introduce their little girl after she was officially with them. 

When they got to the restaurant everyone was already there, but Dean and baby Pru, Vic ended up explaining that the baby girl had her teeth coming out and just wouldn’t stop crying. So, Miller decided to go to the doctor to see what he could do to help his daughter. 

The lunch went out in the best way possible. Everyone loved the girl, they were just delighted with her smile and the way she looked at her parents. Dr. Bailey referenced several times that it didn’t look like it had just been a day since the adoption, that it looked like Sarah had been with her parents her whole life. 

The day of went by very fast, and the day Andy feared got closer very fast. Their shift, their first shift as parents. They explained their child that she was going to spend the night without them, but that Samantha, her babysitter, would be there with her. The girl cried for a while, only getting better when they promised that the girl would step by the station after daycare, so she could be with her parent for a while. 

Eight calls, in ten hours of work they had eight calls. And, while the Battalion Chief stayed in the station the whole time, the captain was terrified to work, to be on field. Andy never thought she would feel like that, so scared. The truth was that the woman never cared, if she got hurt how bad could it be? But at that moment it wasn’t just her; she had a child at home waiting for her, a family of her own that depended on her. 

When the Herrera got to the station after a domestic fire, the woman went straight to shower, only to meet her husband in his office after.

“Come in…”

The man said after hearing a knock at the door. When he saw his wife walking in, he immediately stopped what he was doing, getting up to close the curtains. He knew, just by looking in her eyes, that it wasn’t a work visit. She needed her husband, not her chief.

“Hey… come here.” 

Robert said, softly, sitting back in his chair and opening his arms for his wife. Andy walked towards her loved one, sitting down and just holding on to him. Without ever speaking.

“Is everything alright?”

She let out a breath, speaking.

“I’m was scared…today, in the calls. Robert, I’ve been a firefighter for over ten years, and for the first time, I felt terrified.”

He looked at his wife, passing his hand across her face, caressing her.

“We just became parents. It isn’t just our life’s anymore. It’s perfectly normal that you’re felling on edge from being in a burning building.”

Andy looked at her husband for a few seconds, only to kiss him after. The kiss started calm and romantic, only to become more, more intense, harsher. More.

“Andy, love…. Andrea, we are at work, and you are challenging my resilience.”

The woman ignored her husband, turning in his lap so she had one leg either side of him.

“Andy…”  
The men moaned, trying to get away.

“Please…”

She said, starting to cry. Literally cry. Her husband suddenly didn’t know what to do. This was not the kind of behavior he was used to.

“Baby, you usually are the first one to say that we need to stay professional at work, what…”

“And right now, I’m saying that I need my husband! Please Robert, please…”

She said crying against him. And that is all it took for the men to give up. Getting up, while holding his wife, and heading towards his bunk. 

Andy and Robert were just leaving his office, when a little woman came running in their arms. 

“Mami, papi!”

The couple stopped hearing that. Both looking at their daughter. It was the first time she had referred to them like that. They never talked about what she could call them, and those words coming from her lips left them in shock. 

“Hey baby bug, how are you?” 

Andy said holding her baby in her arms. 

“I’m in your work… Sammy took me!”

The couple showed the station to their girl, making a few stops for their colleagues to talk with her. Robert and Andy didn’t know if they should be happy or scared of her love for the place and the ‘toys’ in it. 

“Can I sleep here?”

“Sarah, we talked about this… baby, mami and papi have to stay here. But this is not a place where you should spend the night…”

Andy felt more comfortable with their daughter calling them by mami and papi, now that she knew that she had that talk with her sitter.

The girl started to cry at Andy’s words, and the woman felt helpless. She really wanted to go home with her daughter.

“What about we show you a secret place, where we like to be when we are sad… And then you will go home with Sammy?

The girl nodded. Andy looked at Bobby, trying to understand where he wanted to go. 

They climbed the firetruck Robert holding his daughter in his arms. The three of them lied there, talking and playing. Being a family. Eventually, the time for Samantha to take the baby home got. And, like a reminder of her duties, the alarm ringed for Andy.

The night came, and Andy was surprised when she could not bring herself to sleep. After hours of rolling over her bed, the woman decided that she had enough. Going towards her husbands’ bunk, after a few conversations, and kisses, both fell asleep. After all, if they couldn’t have their daughter with them, at least they could sleep in each other’s arms.

The morning came and the team was in the beanery eating breakfast.

While Sullivan was serving himself, already with his plate full of food, Andrea just sat at the table, not even looking at the feast in front of them.

“Captain, you’re not eating?”

“Not hungry, thank you!”

She didn’t know what was wrong, but the food didn’t look appealing to her, at all. Just the thought of its kind of made her sick, so she just stayed there, being a good colleague   
and friend.

“At least drink coffee baby, we do have a child at home, that probably won’t feel like sleeping through the day.”

Andy looked at the cup her husband had settled in form of her. That looked not appealing, at all.

“No thanks.”

Robert looked at her, worried. He knew his wife enough, or so he though. Andy didn’t eat when she was sad, or worried, it had to be it, right? 

The shift ended, and with that the couple did what they wanted the most, went home to their daughter. It was the best feeling, when, after talking with the sitter, Sammy, like   
Sarah sayed, they went upstairs, only to find their daughter in their bed, sleeping. After an hour and a joined shower, they had to wake their daughter up, so she could attend daycare. 

When they got back to their home, Andy just laid in their sofa, feeling like she had been runned by a truck. Robert went to their office, he still had a few reports to deliver to Dixon, and he did not wanted to get behind his schedule. 

When the man ended his work, around lunch, he walked downstairs, only to find his wife in the sofa sleeping. He holded her, caring his sleepy beauty to their bedroom. 

“Stay with me…”

She said, grabbing his arm as soon as he laid her down. 

“Need to cook lunch, you need to eat love.”

“Not hungry, just want you in here with me… “

The gave up, laying next to his wife, cuddling with her.

“Don’t know what’s wrong with me… I just feel so tired.” 

Andy said, dragging her words.

“It’s the lack of caffeine, you usually drink a river of coffee, your body is missing it…”

“I just didn’t want it… since when does coffee not look good to me?”

Robert smiled, holding is sleepy wife closer, as she drifts back to sleep.

The rest of the day was just relaxing. They stayed home, only leaving to take their daughter from school, going out for her too ride her bike for a while, at the end of the day.

The next day came running, the couple did their usual morning routine with their child: breakfast, workout, getting ready and school. 

After leaving their daughter, they both had individual plans, while Robert had agreed to go fishing with Warren and Avery, Andrea agreed on a day at the bar with Vic, Maya and Carina.

The four women were at the bar, waiting for their beers, talking and laughing. 

“Oh, you have no idea how his face was…”

Vic was telling the funniest story when the bartender brought their drinks. 

“Does anyone else thinks this beer tastes weird?”

“No, it’s perfectly fine…”

“Then is just me then.”

Andy left her beer aside, asking for a water. 

“Are you for real? Our first girl’s moment in a long time and you’re not even drinking?”

“The beer tastes sketchy.”

The three-woman looked at her like she was crazy. 

“I’ll pay the next round if you leave me and my water alone. I will pay the next round.”

“Now, that’s a deal!”

As agreed, after they finished their drinks, Andy went to the counter, ordering new drinks for her friends. Carina excused herself, saying she would her Herrera carrying the drinks.

“Congratulations Captain Herrera.”

Andy looked at her, not understanding.

“You know, for the baby… Parenthood is complicated, but is also one of the most amazing things in the world.”

“Oh thank you… It has been a while now. I’m loving it so far.”

“Really? I though it was more recent… “

They went back to the table where Vic was telling how she saw Andy and her family in the firetruck.

“Oh you have a daughter?”

Carina asked, which got Andy confused, after all, they had just had that talk, right?

“Yeah, me and Robert just adopted her.”

“I did not know about that.”

Andy looked at Carina, what did she wanted to say with that? She had just congratulated her on her knew baby, right? How was it possible she did not know about little Sarah?


	11. The Change Comes From Within

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the comment from Carina, Andy find’s a huge new. Will she be able to tell everyone about it? How is her family take the news?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own you an apology, I know. 
> 
> Truth is, I usually write after work, but this week was exhausting and I had no energy left to dedicate to the story. Plus, this really means a lt to me and I want to give you the best result possible, and if I have to write it 3 times instead of 1, then it is.
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much for the comments, and all your support. You keep me going 😊
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter.

Andrea was laying in the bed she shared with her husband, she could hear the screams and laughter going on the next room. Sullivan and Sarah had been there for hours now, it was like they were tireless. The captain, on the other side, was in her bed, feeling exhausted of just spending the day with her friends. 

It was not just the physical exhaustion, or the sleepiness she had been feeling for a couple of days. It was the emotional, phycological fatigue that was killing her. Her baby. Carina talked about her baby without knowing about Sarah. Could the woman mean something else? Andy thought about all the possibilities, and the only one that made sense, was the scariest one. 

“Mami!”

Sarah ran towards the bed, jumping on her mother. Sullivan walked slowly behind her, smiling.

“Sah, what did papi told you?”

The men said, sitting next to his wife, planting a kiss at the top of her head.

“That If a brush my teeth, and put on my pajamas by myself, I can sleep with you!”

“Oh really, papi said that?”

Andrea said, holding her girl in her arms, planting kisses all over her, making her giggle. She looked in her husband’s eyes, melting with love. She really was a happy woman with him. However, the captain could not stop thinking about how he would react if her suspicions were verified.   
In the happy and relaxed environment, the family was, they all got ready for bed, not without playing or cuddling one another first. The night ended up with Robert reading   
“Mulan” for his girls, it was already Sarah’s favorite story, she said the Disney princess reminded her of her mami, and her parents just loved that. 

The morning came to fast for Andy and to late for Robert, since his daughter had spent the night kicking him in places no man wanted. Andrea just laughed when he told her about that in the morning.

“I’m telling you Andy; she does not want siblings.”

And that was it, the joke that reminded her of the big elephant in her mind. She got serious, thinking of ways to find out, without her husband or friends around. Even thought he didn’t know the reason why, Robert could see the wheels turning in his wife’s brain. 

When Andy walked in their bathroom saw her daughter covered in toothpaste.

“Sarah, what did you do?”

Andy said, taking the paste out of the girls’ hands, calmly, trying hard to contain her laughter.

“Rob, come here, please.”

The Battalion Chief walked in the room running, only to be surprised by a green and red child, and a very muddled wife. He looked at the watch and stopped for a second thinking.

“What was this?”

“I… I wanted to….” 

The girl started crying immediately, making both of her parent kneel before her.

“Hey baby girl, it’s ok. We are going to clean you up and get ready to school. You wanted to clean your teeth by yourself, right? That’s a good thing!”

“Yeah, you are becoming a grown up!”

The girl looked at her parents, thinking, and just hugged both, at the same time. Andy took matter in her own hands, preparing a bath to the girls, while Robert picked new clothes for her. 

“We have a meeting in 30 minutes.”

“You go… I’ll get her ready and drive to school. Meet you at work.”

“Are you sure?”

“Bobby, it’s cool. I can drive our daughter to school.”

“I love you.”

The man simply said before ended up getting ready, to leave for work. Andy finished to give her daughter her bath, driving her to school, singing “Let it go” repeatedly in the car, like it was the best song in the world. 

At the station everything seemed normal: Robert Sullivan had walked in, while the time was having breakfast in the beanery, grabbed an apple, only to leave to the department meeting where he was suppose to be with his wife. However, the Battalion Chief was surprised when, instead of Captain Herrera, Travis Montgomery was the one in there.

“Montgomery?”

Dixon said in the most authority tone he had.

“Yes chief?”

“Where is Captain Herrera?”

Montgomery looked at Sullivan, hoping his friend would answer for him, only to be surprise by a questioning look. How could Sullivan did not know where Andy was?

“She said she had a last-minute situation, asking me to come here and give her a detailed report.”

“Sullivan, what happened to your wife?”

“Our daughter got late this morning, sir. It won’t happen again.”

And that ended said conversation. Sullivan was uneasy for the rest of the meeting, questioning what was going on with his wife; she had been of, that was clear, but missing a meeting? That was not something his Andrea would do, at least not lightheaded.

Hours later, Maya was working in her office, relaxed, when suddenly her best friend walked in, starting to pace around, already out of breath. The blond stopped her work, looking at her best friend.

“Do I wanna know what is going on?”

“I… oh my God…. I still can’t believe…It’s just… wow…”

Andrea said, panicking. 

“Andy, sit down… do you want water?”

“I wanted a beer, but clearly I can’t have that.”

“What do you mean? Dude, I’m serious, sit down.”

Herrera finally took the chair, while having a deep breath.

“Ok, now talk to me.”

“I… I have to step down a little bit, from work.”

That was the last thing her best friend was expecting to hear.

“Why?”

“I will keep doing the administrative part, and command on the scene from distance, or in the aid car. But I need to stop running into burning buildings.”

“Is everything alright? Are you sick?”

“No, Maya…I just left Grey-Sloan, had an appointment with Carina…I’m pregnant.”

Bishop started to laugh, very loudly. However, when she looked at Andy’s face, her own became very serious.

“You just adopted a disabled two-year-old.”

“You didn’t need the disabled in that sentence. But I know, and apparently, in seven months I’m gonna have a newborn at home.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Mays, I’m scared, for the past eight weeks I jumped into burning buildings, I fell, I drank, I’m pretty sure I smoked, I did all the things I shouldn’t. And that scares me. I’m in   
panic, what if I am a terrible mum?”

“Are you kidding me? Andy, you’re only scared because you love that child, and because you want to give it the best life possible. And that is an amazing thing. Plus, you are   
already a great mum to little Sarah, just because you are caring another child, that won’t change.”

Andrea just smiled.

“Eight weeks?”

“Yes… Carina said that the next four will be very important, so I don’t want to tell anyone, yet.”

The tone was getting more relaxed, and Bishop could already see her best friend calming down.

“What about Sullivan, does he know?”

“Not yet… I thought about telling him when I started to suspect… But the more I think about it, the more I want it to be very special.”

“I get that, how are you going to do it?”

“Father’s day is almost here… gonna take that opportunity.”

“That’s…”

The office door opened showing their Battalion Chief, making both women jump. Robert really wanted to be annoyed, or even mad, but seeing the way his wife looked at him made him melt. That woman could be very crazy sometimes, but the was that she made fall in love a little more every day that went by. After taking a while to recompose himself, 

Robert was able to regain his Chief mode.

“Captain Herrera, may I know why you missed a Department meeting today?”

“Sorry, Sarah got me late after you left, and the traffic was awful. I had to ask Montgomery to cover for me. Promise I’ll spend the whole day looking at his notes.”

“You better, I want a full report until midnight.”

“Yes chief.”

The man left the office immediately, heading to his own, while Andrea got up from her chair, heading towards the door.”

“You know, it says a lot about your type of mothering when you blame it on your child for being ate to work.”

“Oh please, I did get late because of my child, I just mentioned the wrong one.”

And with that the woman left, heading towards her office to make the report her husband, no, her chief asked for. Five hours passed, and Andrea started to feel dizzy, her palms sweeting. Panic took over the captain, who, slowly, got up heading towards the door. Luckily, the aid car was right outside the office, so all she had to do was walk in the back of the vehicle. Taking her jacket of, Andy slide her arm in the sleeve of the blood pressure machine. While it filled, the captain stung her own finger, putting the blood in the blood glucose meter. Both values were low, very low. Just when she was about to decide her next step, someone walked in the aid car, startling the female.

“What is this?”

“I’m not feeling well… I… I think I’m about to…”

Without finishing the sentence, the woman started to lose her conscience. The invader runned closer to her, helping her seat in the gurney, holding her close, carefully.

“Andy, look at me.”

“Rob, I’m fine, promise.”

“No, you’re not. It’s not just today… you have been off all week.”

“I... Please don’t.”

Tears started to go down her face, which surprised the man. Was she really crying because of something so small?”

“Andy, I love you… You are not okay right now. And to be honest, I’m starting to really worry.”

“I haven’t eaten anything today, my values got very low.”

“Are you sure? Maybe you should take something…”

“Bobby, I’m fine.”

The man looked in her eyes. She was scared, he knew that much, and she was happy, and relaxed at the same time. It was just confused, he was used to be able to read he’s wife perfectly, but, at that moment, he couldn’t understand a thing. 

“Come on, you need to eat.”

While helping his wife to get up, the Battalion Chief grabbed her jacket, making a small piece of paper fall. Immediately getting down to grab it, the man saw what it was. It couldn’t be, right? They were married, she would have told him something so important, however, by looking at his wife, he knew it was true, if she was pale before, she suddenly became a ghost. Not letting go of her, and in a very close distance, Robert held the picture between the two of them.

“You are pregnant?”


	12. An event

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Herrera needs to tell her family about her recent discovery, how will it go? What can possibly happen to ruin their joy?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here it is the chapter, hope you all like it! I’m literally posting this from work, because my cat literally ate my internet, don’t ask.   
> I hope you enjoy it, however I need to apologize in advance for what you’re about to read… sorry!!!!  
> Thank you so much for all of your support, please give your feedback and ideas for the next chapter!

All Andrea could do was cry, a lot. The woman felt like the worst thing in the world had happened to her, right there. While that, Robert stayed quiet, looking at his wife.

“Andy, heiii… Baby, you don’t have to cry!”

“You ruined it!”

“What…What did I do?”

The man was so confused.

“I had planned this cute way of telling you. Has this big plan. And you just ruined it!”

And then the woman just started crying more. Her husband, at that moment, didn’t know if he should laugh or actually be worried. How was it possible that he had not noticed her hormonal behavior before? They lived together, after all. 

“Hey… do you want me to pretend I don’t know about it? So, you can surprise me?”

At this point he was talking to her like they would talk to little Sarah. 

“Stop it! I know I sound crazy, you big idiot”

“Andrea… Look at me. We are having another baby, that’s a good thing, it’s a beautiful thing!”

The captain finally stopped crying, looking at her husband, smiling.

“We are having another baby.”

And they kissed, they kissed like they had never done before. Even though both were scared, terrified, neither of them had been this happy in their lives. 

“I love you so much, crazy woman.”

The captain and chief were leaving the aid car, Robert helping his wife, who still felt dizzy, when they saw their little princess. 

“Mami, papi!”

Both smiled at the girl running towards them. Robert immediately bend down to pick her up, hugging her close.

“I’m so sorry, I know there wasn’t anything planned, but she insisted so much that she wanted to see her parents, and you woudn’t pick up your phones… “

The sitter tried to explain, worried her bosses would be mad at her. 

“Amanda, it’s ok… We always love to see her, so…Thank you.”

“Well, mami and papi were about to go eat this big sandwich, how about that Sah?”

The girl nodded vividly, making everyone swoon at that. When the family walked in the beanery Travis and Vic were there, acknowledging little Sarah immediately, starting to play with her while her parents made their food.

Travis and Vic, who had already eating stayed with them just so could be with their niece. It was funny to see how they all interacted with that girl, and Andrea couldn’t stop   
thinking about how they would interact with this new child. 

After the meal, Andrea and Robert said goodbye to their daughter, she had physical therapy and truth was, the two adults had to work. While Robert walked towards his office,   
Andrea went to the PRT to find Warren.

“You look like a child with new toys when you’re in here.”

“Oh, come on boss, this is every surgeons dream.”

The woman laughed, giving a few orders to her employee, and leaving to her own office, where she still had a report to finish.

Andrea was in her chair, with her head in her hands, desperate with the lack of words for the work Robert had requested. Sometimes, just sometimes, the woman really hated her husband. Almost like the man guessed that his wife was looking at him, Sullivan knocked at her door, walking in almost immediately. 

“How are you?”

“Don’t do that…. Don’t start acting like I’m made of glass.”

“I know you’re not baby. But I worry, you know it’s normal.”

Andy sighted, there was nothing the woman could do, right?

“Anyway, just wanted to tell you that I have a meeting with Dixon. Can you Take over in case anything happens?”

“Of course, relax!”

The scene they arrived to was scary, to say the least. A residential building, 5 floors, full of people running out, completely on fire. Several firefighters and civilians on the floor injured. It looked like a scary movie. While Maya took Three people with her to start fire combat, Andrea commanded her people in helping all the people that stayed on the floor injured. 

In the middle of the confusion a woman started yelling, loud and desperate. Warren walked toward her, asking if she was injured, the woman wouldn’t answer, just scream in panic.

“Hi… hey. I am Captain Herrera, lady, was is your name? Can we help?”

The captain said holding the woman, trying to calm her down.

“I'm Sandra... My daughter...My Bea… My Bea is in there!”

The woman said crying. Finally giving in, holding Warren. Andy immediately told her team inside about the other victim.

“Ok, we have a team inside, can you give us a few information’s, so they can get to her? How old is she, where is your apartment?”

“She’s four, we live at the top floor, but she was playing in the basement.”

An explosion was heard and the woman jumped, scared, only to react in the least expected way possible: that woman, that mother, decided in that moment that she needed to protect her child, running towards the building. However, Ben and Andrea were faster than her, stepping in front of her.

“My team is inside, searching for your girl. If you walk in, instead of searching for one person they will have to search for two. I know you want to help, and be with your baby, but her best chances are if you stay here.”

It was like she couldn’t hear the captains words, that woman was falling apart and the two firefighters with her had their hearts breaking, after all, they knew better than anyone that the girl was in danger, and a very big one. 

“You don’t get it, are you a mother Captain Herrera?”

And that was it, the words that hit Andy the most. She was a mother, she knew what that woman was feeling, and that girl, she was just two years older than her own girl. Without answering, or thinking twice, the female Captain runned towards her gear, giving her command for Montgomery, and running inside that building. 

It was dark, and the smoke was as dense as one could imagine. Andrea kept walking towards that basement, no thoughts of fear for her own live could stop her in that moment, however, the moment couldn’t forget the child she was caring in her own womb. 

Outside the building, the team kept working in sync, when station 23 and their Battalion Chief arrived the scene. Robert already expected Captain Bishop to be inside the building, not being surprised when he couldn’t find her outside, however, the man was shocked when he saw Montgomery giving orders to everyone, commanding the paramedics in the place. 

“Montgomery, where is your captain?”

“Inside Sir.”

“I’m asking about Herrera.”

Montgomery looked at his boss, and there were no words needed. Robert knew was that look meant: his wife, his adorable, crazy and stubborn wife had walked in that building.”

“Who allowed that?”

“Sir, she’s our captain…”

“Damn it!”

The Battalion Chief starting giving orders, furious to say the least, making everybody move. 

He would remember what happened next for the rest of his life, every minute, every second of what happened next was going to be nailed in his mind; several explosions happened, just has Captain Bishop and her team left the building running, as well as the men from Station 23. Sullivan’s first instinct was to look for his wife, hopping. However, the woman was nowhere to be seen. 

“Bishop!”

The man runned towards the woman, obviously shake.

“Where is Herrera?”

“What do you mean, Sir? She stayed outside.”

The man looks at his wife’s best friend, making her comprehend the scene around her. 

“No… She wouldn’t Sir… She’s… Oh My God.”

The two moved immediately, reuniting their team, giving information’s and orders around. Bishop was berserk with her friend; how could she do something like that? The building was instable, very instable; therefore, the team had left, they had stepped from an attacking tactic to a defensive one. Except that now they had to work in rescue. 

Maya stopped for a second, looking at her Chief and then at her team, thinking.

“Another thing, Herrera is…”

She looked at her boss, she knew Andrea was preparing a surprise to her husband, but this was an important information for her team, right?

“Andy’s pregnant.”

Robert said, making everyone starting to move immediately, they all knew what that meant: she should not be inside that building, at all. 

“Chief, you stay outside, I’ll go in there.”

“She’s my wife! I’m walking in.”

“With all due respect, Sir, you are not in an emotional state to walk inside of that hell. Plus, if anything happens… Your daughter will need you. Think about Sarah.”

And that stopped him.

“Bishop, please don’t let anything happen to her, to them.”

Maya was shocked, for the first time, in three years, she was seeing her Battalion Chief crying, legit tears. The woman could see the panic and pain getting over that man, so she runned inside. She had to help her best friend.

Over an hour had passed, and still nothing, the team kept looking. The Battalion Chief outside the building, panicking. That man did not know what he would do if he lost her, them. The man was the happiest in the world, with Andy and Sarah, and finding out they would have another child made him the happiest man in the world. Losing that would kill him, and their daughter who just got a family, for the first time in two years. 

Suddenly, everything got loud and fast. Everyone started to move when Miller yelled that he had found Andy and the little girl she had come in to get. Gipson was the closest one, saying he would help, everyone else got out, preparing for the defensive combat to the fire.   
Robert couldn’t move, the man was frozen, it was Captain Bishop who called dispatch asking for another Battalion in the scene and for the 19 team to stay in the station, they needed time before any other call. Not even when Miller walked out with their Captain in his arms Robert moved, it was like time had stopped for him, like he was still deciding how to react. 

Andrea was unconscious, being laid down immediately on a gurney while her friends worked on her, all of them terrified. Robert only had a reaction when the woman woke up, alarmed, terrified for the child she was caring. There was only one certainty in there: if that child had gotten hurt, Andy would never forgive herself.


	13. Put A Little Love On Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have you ever felt the pain of losing a child? Even an unborn one? It’s not pretty, and the hardest part is to plan something, while being terrified that might not happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, so so sorry, I know I said I would post yesterday. But when I got home from work and started reading the chapter to post t, I decided to make some changes -.- 
> 
> However, it’s already here, and I really hope you like it!!
> 
> There are some grammatical mistakes, in Sarah’s dialogues, it’s intentional, she is two.
> 
> Enjoy your chapter, please leave your comments and ideas, I read every single one of them, and cherish them. Thank you.

The environment in the hospitals waiting room was tense, very tense. While Maya stayed in a corner, on her phone, taking care of all the things that hadn’t even crossed Sullivan’s mind yet, the rest of the team was sitting silently, trying to find the words to talk with their Chief.

There had been no news about Herrera yet, and they didn’t know if that was a good thing, or a bad one. 

Sullivan wasn’t crying, or eating, or drinking coffee like the rest of the team. God, they weren’t even sure if the man was breathing. 

“I don’t know what I will do if… She won’t survive to it; this is too much!”

The man finally spoke, whispered, surprising everyone around him. 

“If anything, actually happens, which we don’t know, Robert… she will blame herself, and it will be extremely hard, for both f you. You will think about that baby everyday of your lives and imagine what he or she could be. But the pain will stay there, no matter how much time passes.”

Sullivan’s eyes got wider, looking to the man beside him.

“Warren, I’m so sorry…”

“Don’t apologize for making me think about my daughter. She is a good memory; nothing can take that away from me.”

Robert did not answer anymore, he couldn’t stop thinking about his wife, or the child she was caring. 

“She was awake when she entered the hospital, Sir. She was awake and responsive; she was conscious and coherent. That’s a good thing.”

The Battalion Chief knew that, he knew that all of that was true. But standing there, sitting, without any news was killing the man. 

Just as the man was about to stand up, to demand some information, Dr. Pierce and Carina walked in the room, walking directly in his direction. 

“Robert, can you come with us, please? Andrea is awake, but she wants you in there with us, so we can all talk.”

The man suddenly got more nervous and, without saying a word, got up, following the doctors. 

The man’s heart broke even more as soon as he walked in his wife’s room; The woman was sitting in her bed, surrounded by wires, crying compulsively. All the man wanted to do was hold her, and tell her that, no matter what, they would be ok. She would be ok. But all the man could do, at that moment, was sit in the chair beside the woman’s bed, holding her hand, caressing it with his thumb, while her doctor stood close to the couple. 

Dr. Pierce was the first one to talk, saying that Andy had passed out only because of the lack of oxygen, that she had no other injuries. However, the doctor wanted to maintain the woman under some vigilance, and fresh air. She had got lucky in that aspect. Sullivan could only breath with the doctor’s words. At least she was physically fine, she was safe.

Dr. Pierce stopped talking, after giving them all the information they needed, leaving the room, smiling. Carina then let out a sight, sitting at the bottom of the bed, putting her hand on Andy’s legs. 

“Did I kill my child?”

“No. You didn’t. Andrea, your baby is fine.”

Andy started crying immediately, desperately, with her head in her hands. The woman really tought that she had destroyed the most important thing in her live.

“You got lucky. There is no apparent damage to the pregnancy. However, I would like to keep you here for at least fourty eight hours, and after that you need to stay in bed rest for four weeks, until you finish your first trimester. Can you do that, Captain?”

“She can, I’ll stay with her, we will do this, together.”

Andy just looked at her husband, she did not deserve such a man. Carina kept talking, and both listened with all the attention. The doctor talked about how the pregnancy was now risky, how it was possible that something could go wrong in the following weeks, mentioning several times that Andy needed to keep it low, and to rest.  
Those fourty eight hours were the worst in Andreas life, not only she had no privacy, being surrounded by doctors the whole time, but she had no time to be alone with her husband, and God how she wanted, needed him. On top of all that, the woman could not see her daughter, who had been sleeping at Aunt Maya’s house, regularly sending videos to her mother, who missed her like hell. 

When Robert walked in that room, in the morning, all the woman could do was smile, her doctor, Carina, had just told her she would go home, later in that day giving a few recommendations. The man was caring a bag with clothes for his wife, as well as some personal items. Dropping the bag in a table, Chief Sullivan walked towards Andrea, sitting in her bed after kissing her head.

“How is my beautiful wife feeling today?”

“I’m great! I’m going to see Sarah today, miss her so much Bobby.”

Robert laid in the bed next to the woman of his dreams, giving her the best angle to lay her head in his chest.

“I know, she misses you too. We made the right decision, right? Not to let her come here.”

“She’s two, a hospital is not a place for her. Plus, I don’t want her to see me in a bed like this.”

And they talked until a nurse came in to give Andy her lunch, that she gently, not really, denied. The Captain really wanted to go home and eat her husband’s meals, no one cooked like that man. Their conversations went on, about baby clothes, baby room, but mostly, how they would tell their daughter about the new child in their lives. Andy admitted that the subject had already crossed her mind. The girl was two and had just been adopted, they had to be very careful to not let her think that they preferred this child, specially because it wasn’t true: it was the exact same kind of love, she was their baby since the day they had met her, since the moment Andy walked in that fire, a few months before, that Sarah was their child. Nothing would change that, and the couple needed to make sure she knew that. 

Andrea left the hospital at the end of the day, insisting of taking Sarah from school, dismissing the babysitter or the child’s aunts and uncles. So, instead of going home, both adults drove to the preschool, to be able to take their older child home. Just that small act left Andy exhausted, making it easier for Robert to convince her to go to bed as soon as the three of them got home. Sarah woudn’t leave her mami, going with her to the couple’s bedroom, while Robert went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.   
The man decided to make a vegetarian lasagna, and a salad. Preparing the plates for the two girls of his life, the man took the food to the bedroom, there was no need for Andy to stand up at the moment, and they all deserved to have a lazy meal in bed, together, as a family. 

Robert had to stop as soon has he walked in the room, his family was asleep, in the bed, Andrea laid, facing the ceiling, while Sarah was on top of her mother, head in her belly, still flat. The man staid like that for a while, leaning against the door frame, looking at both girls. He had never imagined he would be like that, one day: looking at his wife and daughter, expecting his second child. Truth was, after Claire’s death the man never expected much, but, somehow, God decided to reward him, to give him the best thing in the world. His own family.

“Are you going to keep looking at us, or are you going to feed us? We’re hungry, all three of us.”

The man smiled hearing his wife mentioning the baby, walking towards the bed. Andy started to get up, waking Sarah up, gently. 

“Baby girl… let’s eat something ok?”

The girl slowly woke up, looking at her parents, sitting next to her mother. Robert placed the food tray on his wife’s lap, sitting in front of the women. The three of them enjoyed their meal, together and joking. 

“Robert stops!”

The woman said, trying to contain a laugh, while her daughter kept laughing at her father, who was playing with the food, drawing with the vegetables at his plate. 

“Look, it’s a dinosaur!”

“No!”

The three of them kept talking and playing, until they finished, they meal. Robert cleaned everything up, while Andy went to take a bath and Sarah watch tv in the bed.

At night, the three of them were laying together in bed, Sarah in her papi’s lap, Andy almost asleep. 

“Sah… mami and papi need to talk to you.”

“Are you gonna send me back?”

“What? No, no, of course not! Don’t you like being here?”

“I love be here. I don’t want to go back.”

Robert held his daughter closer, while Andy grabbed her hand. 

“Baby, mami and papi want to say that you will have a baby brother or sister.”

The girl looked at them, confused.

“Another brother or sister? Bring a new baby home?”

“No, there is a baby in mami’s belly, right there. You can’t see him or she yet, but it’s there.”

This Robert was the one speaking, and the girl looked at her mother, confused. 

“Mami eat the baby?”

Both adults laughed at their daughter, caressing her head.

“No sweetie, the baby is here so he can grow, and get strong for a while.”

The girl looked at her parents, leaning down, facing her mother’s belly.

“Hi baby! I’m your sister. My name is Sarah.”

Andrea felt the tears in her eyes. It couldn’t get better, could it? 

The family stayed like that for a while, in their bed, cuddling, enjoying the time they had missed in the past two days. Andrea was loving it, however, deep down, the woman   
couldn’t forget the scare she had faced, was she that lucky? That she had done something so stupid, and still her child was ok? They weren’t safe yet, that was a thought that crossed the Captain’s mind a thousand times, something could happen in the following 4 weeks, and that was a lot time to be unsure about a child’s future.

The night was hard for Andrea, no matter how hard she tried, sleep was a difficult thing to do, there were too much thoughts in her mind, but the view of her daughter hugging her father while sleeping warmed the woman’s heart. In the morning, however, Andy was sleeping profoundly, getting awake by her family with breakfast in bed, it had everything, bread, cereal, milk, tea, pancakes… Everything.

“Oh Dios, what did I do to own all of this?”

“Is not for you mami, is for the baby.”

“And for mami too, right Sah?”

Andy laughed while Robert made a funny sad face. Andy knew it had been the man’s idea, and she knew that it was intended for both, her, and her child. 

“Yes…”

Robert looked at his wife, smiling, his eyes shining.

“Are you feeling ok?”

“Yes, I am. I mean, with all of this love, how could I not?”

“Don’t get to spoiled, brat.”

The man said it, joking, in a tone that would make everyone swoon.

“Shut up, you love me!”

With their daughter playing in the room next door, Andrea and her husband ate together, hoping that life would keep treating them in the way it did until that moment: with their children and each other, happy and healthy. One could not ask for more, right?


End file.
